Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Overview

The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art stands within Hijiyama Park in Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, and was the first public museum in Japan devoted to contemporary art. Opened in 1989, it was designed by the architect Kisho Kurokawa. Its exhibitions focus on art after the Second World War, especially from 1945 onward, and are known for linking contemporary art with the city of Hiroshima. The building itself, blending into a green hilltop park, is a highlight in its own right.

Highlights

• ●Pioneering status as Japan's first public contemporary art museum
• ●Building by Kisho Kurokawa, awarded the AIJ Prize
• ●Setting amid the greenery of Hijiyama Park
• ●Exhibitions linking contemporary art with Hiroshima

History

Founded in 1989, the museum opened on May 3 of that year. Designed by the world-renowned architect Kisho Kurokawa, the building received the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Prize. As the first public museum in Japan dedicated to contemporary art, it has continued to present postwar and contemporary works from a city marked by the history of the atomic bombing. Together with its elevated setting on Hijiyama hill, it has been a cultural landmark ever since its opening.

Map

34.3864, 132.4734 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from central Hiroshima to Hijiyama Park in Minami-ku
2. 2View postwar and contemporary art at the museum
3. 3Appreciate Kisho Kurokawa's architecture from the exterior
4. 4Stroll Hijiyama Park and enjoy the city view from the hill

Did you know?

💡 Designed by Kisho Kurokawa, the building won the AIJ Prize for its forms in harmony with the hillside terrain. Its pioneering role as Japan's first public contemporary art museum, and its stance of continually questioning contemporary art from the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima, draw art lovers from home and abroad. Since exhibitions change over time, check the official website for details of special shows.

Nearby spots