21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, located in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, opened in 2004. Its primary design concept was developed by architect Kazuyo Sejima, a female architect from the firm, and won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The building's architecture has attracted worldwide attention.

The museum’s goal is to foster new culture and advance the cultural and artistic development of Kanazawa City, creating new charm and vitality for the city. The facility houses six collection rooms and eight special exhibition rooms, covering a total area of 1,293 square meters. On the first basement level, there is also a civic gallery spanning 1,458 square meters, which regularly exhibits paintings, calligraphy, photography, and other related artworks by the citizens of Kanazawa. The museum primarily collects and displays works of art from the 1980s to the present, featuring masterpieces by artists such as Francis Alÿs, Matthew Barney, Tony Cragg, Olafur Eliasson, and Isa Genzken, all available for art enthusiasts to appreciate, study, and research.

The most eye-catching piece in the special exhibition rooms is Leandro Erlich’s work titled "Swimming Pool." By using the museum’s skylight and layering a sheet of water over it, along with fake pool railings, the installation gives the illusion of a real swimming pool when viewed from above. Visitors can also walk around beneath the installation, viewing it from both above and below, creating a unique sense of fun and effect.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Must-visit reason: Kanazawa’s most talked-about art museum

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Ishikawa Prefecture [Ishikawa Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Kanazawa City [Kanazawa]