Naoshima's new art museum

With a collection highlighting Asian artists and an architectural design in perfect symbiosis with its surroundings, this museum promises a unique immersive experience.

• Architecture by Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando, master of raw concrete and natural light, signs his tenth collaboration with the Benesse Art Site Naoshima. True to his minimalist style, he has designed a building that blends harmoniously into the island's rolling landscape.

The museum has three levels, two of which are underground, and a sloping roof that follows the natural lines of the relief. The entrance is through an open space that opens directly onto a breathtaking panorama of the Seto Inland Sea. A café, with an overhanging terrace, allows visitors to enjoy this soothing view after their artistic immersion.

With a total surface area of 3,176 m², the building is designed to be a place of contemplation and reflection, where every architectural detail contributes to the enhancement of the works on display.

• A collection dedicated to contemporary Asian art

Unlike other Naoshima museums, which exhibit major international artists such as James Turrell, Andy Warhol or well Giacometti, this new space focuses on the Asian contemporary art scene.

• A museum in harmony with Naoshima's other institutions

The new museum follows in the footsteps of Naoshima's other emblematic art spaces, which share an approach where architecture dialogues with the natural environment. These include :

• The Chichu Art Museum, also designed by Tadao Ando, which houses works by Claude Monet, James Turrell and Walter De Maria, all lit only by natural light.
• The Benesse House Museum, a hybrid of museum and hotel, where visitors can stay surrounded by works of art.
• The Lee Ufan Museum, dedicated to the creations of renowned Korean artist Lee Ufan, who explores the relationship between space, matter and silence.
• The Art House Projects, traditional houses renovated as contemporary art installations scattered around the village of Honmura.

By integrating this same philosophy of fusion between art, nature and architecture, the new museum further enriches Naoshima's cultural experience.

A must-see art event in Japan, the Setouchi Triennial 2025 will once again transform the islands of the Seto Inland Sea into an open-air museum, combining contemporary art, nature and local culture.

Practical information

• Opening: Spring 2025(May 31, 2025).
• Reservations: Tickets available online from April 11, 2025.
• Access: From Okayama, take a train to Uno, then a ferry to Naoshima (Miyanoura port). Local buses serve the museum from the port.
   

Why visit the new Naoshima Art Museum?

• An immersive experience, where architecture and nature meet
• A unique collection, focusing on contemporary Asian art
• A new reason to revisit Naoshima, already considered one of Japan's art hotspots

The aim is to involve the local community and international visitors in an ongoing dialogue around contemporary art, encouraging the creation and active participation of the public.

With this new opening, Naoshima further asserts its status as an island museum, and promises visitors an ever richer and more fascinating artistic experience.