Tokyo's Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is one of Japan's oldest contemporary art museums. A little further afield in Gunma Prefecture you'll find Hara Museum ARC, which is an annex of the original. Surrounded by lush nature at the foothills of Mt. Haruna, the museum's buildings are designed by Japanese architect and urban designer Arata Isozaki. Before you head inside you'll find numerous permanent outdoor exhibitions by the likes of Andy Warhol and Olafur Eliasson among others, so take some time to explore the grounds.
Inside the unique premises, there are regular exhibitions with works from both Japanese and international contemporary artists. It's worth taking a look at the museum website's exhibition list before your visit, so you can see what will be on display. The museum closes during the changing of exhibitions too, so bear that in mind.
Alongside the thought-provoking contemporary art to observe, Hara Museum ARC prides themselves on their events program, which includes the likes of lectures, performances, workshops, and other educational activities.
The museum has a cafe on the premises, which serves up a range of meals, desserts, and beverages. There's also a gift store if you're after a souvenir from your visit, which sells an array of fun contemporary art posters and books, as well as works from Gunma-based artisans.
Since the onset of COVID-19, the museum has taken additional steps to protect patrons and staff, including hand sanitizer at the entrance, socially distanced ground markings to ensure space in any queuing situations, and installation of plastic shields at the cash register in the museum shop and cafe.
