Almost entirely underground, this museum on Nakanoshima island announces itself at street level with a dramatic sculptural canopy of curved steel tubes designed by César Pelli, meant to evoke the vitality of a bamboo grove. Descend below and you find a serious collection of post-war Japanese and international art, with strengths in contemporary painting, sculpture, and photography. Rotating exhibitions bring in major international shows. The permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Cézanne, and Max Ernst alongside Japanese heavyweights like Foujita and Kusama. The building itself — spacious, well-lit, and thoughtfully laid out — makes the experience. Combined with nearby Nakanoshima Park, it makes for a rewarding half-day.
National Museum of Art Osaka
Underground contemporary art museum beneath a bamboo-like steel canopy