Chichu Art Museum
Chichu Art Museum was constructed in 2004 as a site rethinking the relationship between nature and people. The museum was built mostly underground to avoid affecting the beautiful natural scenery of the Seto Inland sea. Artworks by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria are on permanent display in this building designed by Tadao Ando. Despite being primarily subterranean, the museum lets in an abundance of natural light that changes the appearance of the artworks and the ambience of the space itself with the passage of time, throughout the day and all along the four seasons of the year.
Taking form as the artists and architect bounced ideas off each other, the museum in its entirety can be seen as a very large site-specific artwork.
Hours ＆ Admission
- Hours：
- March 1 - September 30
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
(Last admittance: 5:00 p.m.)
October 1 - last day of February
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(Last admittance: 4:00 p.m.)
- Closed：
- Mondays
*Open on Mondays for national holidays but closed the next day.
Open Days Calendar
- Admission：
- Weekdays: Online Purchase: JPY2,500; On-site Purchase: JPY2,800
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: Online Purchase: JPY2,700; On-site Purchase: JPY3,000
*free for children 15 and under
- Tickets：
- Please purchase online tickets here.
Artists
Artist＆ArchitectClaude Monet
Five paintings from the Water Lilies series produced by the great Impressionist painter Claude Monet in his later years can be enjoyed under natural light in the museum. The size of the room, its design and the materials used all were carefully selected to unite the Monet paintings with the surrounding space.
Claude Monet
Born in Paris, 1840. Died at the age of 86 at his house in Giverny in 1926. Important works: “Impression: Sunrise”, “Haystacks”, and “Rouen Cathedral”. Monet created what he called a“ Water Garden” that included a water lily pond and a surrounding garden in Giverny where he moved in 1883. Monet kept painting this setting as a motif until his last years. On May 17, 1927, l’ Orangerie Museum started to exhibit his “Water Lily” paintings.
- Water-Lily Pond
- C.1915-26
- Water Lilies, Cluster of Grass ,
- 1914-17
- Water Lilies ,
- 1914-17
- Water-Lily Pond ,
- 1917-19
- Water Lilies, Reflections of Weeping Willows ,
- 1916-19
ArtistWalter De Maria
The entire art space, containing a sphere 2.2 meters in diameter and 27 gilded wooden geometric forms, was created under the direction of Walter De Maria as an artwork. Viewers experience this space under the natural light coming in from the ceiling, producing dramatic changes in the room's illumination depending on the hour.
Walter De Maria
Born in 1935 in Albany, California. Studied history and obtained a master's degree in art at the University of California, Berkeley from 1953 to 1959. Died in 2013 (at age 77).
Significant Works: The Lightning Field (1977, New Mexico), The New York Earth Room (1977, New York), The Broken Kilometer (1979, New York), Seen/Unseen Known/Unknown (2000, Naoshima).
- Time/Timeless/No Time ,
- 2004
ArtistJames Turrell
Light itself is presented as art in James Turrell's work. The three artworks on display were selected amongst Turrell’s representative series and span his entire career., enabling visitors to experience the changes in his work throughout the years.
Open Sky (2004) is on view during the museum's regular opening hours, but a special sunset viewing, Night Program, is also available. Click here for more information on the Night Program.
James Turrell
Born in 1943 in Los Angeles, California. BA in perceptual psychology and mathematics, Pomona College (1965), followed by graduate studies in art history at the University of California, Irvine (1965-66).
MFA, Claremont Graduate School (1973). Began the Roden Crater project in 1979. Currently lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Significant Works: Roden Crater (1979 to present, Arizona), Sky Space (1986, P.S. 1, New York), Backside of the Moon (1999, Naoshima), House of Light (2000, Niigata).
- Afrum, Pale Blue ,
- 1968
- Open Field ,
- 2000
- Open Sky ,
- 2004
Architects
ArchitectTadao Ando
Using solely concrete - the main material employed in Ando's architecture - steel, glass and wood, the design of the Chichu Art Museum is reduced to the very minimum. Built almost entirely underground, the museum balances the contradictory qualities of being both non-monumental but highly architectural.
Tadao Ando
Born in Osaka, 1941. Established Tadao Ando Architect & Associates in 1969. Architect and Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo. Recipient of many Japanese and international awards, including the Gold Medal of UIA (International Union of Architects, 2005) and the Pritzker Architecture Prize (1995).
Significant Works: Children's Museum (1989, Hyogo), Church of Light (1989, Osaka), Benesse House Museum (1992, Naoshima), Awaji-Yumebutai (2000, Awaji Island), Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (2002, Texas), Chichu Art Museum (2004, Naoshima).
Other Facilities
Café, Store＆GardenChichu Cafe
The cafe overlooks the picturesque scenery of the Inland Sea, and the open patio affords a taste of the great outdoors. Relaxing in the cafe is a perfect way to end your museum visit.
- Hours：
- March 1-April 27
10:30 a.m.-5:45 p.m. (Last order: 5:30 p.m.)
April 28-May 6
9:30 a.m.-5:45 p.m. (Last order: 5:30 p.m.)
May 7-September 30
10:30 a.m.-5:45 p.m. (Last order: 5:30 p.m.)
October 1-end of February
10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. (Last order: 4:30 p.m.)
- Closed：
- The cafe is closed when the museum is closed.
- Price ：
- Grand Menu
- Capacity：
- 36
- Tel：
- +81-(0)87-892-3755 (Chichu Art Museum)
* Entrance ticket are required in order to visit the Chichu Cafe.
Café, Store＆GardenChichu Store
The museum shop attached to the Chichu Art Museum. The Chichu store sells merchandise that bring visitors closer to the museum, including books published by the museum itself, photography collections, and original goods.
- Hours：
- March 1-September 30
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
October 1-end of February
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Closed：
- The store is closed when the museum is closed.
- Tel：
- +81-(0)87-892-3755 (Chichu Art Museum)
* Entrance ticket are required in order to visit the Chichu Store.
Designed with Claude Monet's Water Lilies, Cluster of Grass. Not only for glasses, but for use with products such as LCD screens as well.
JPY600(tax included)
（R）Raspberry jam based on Claude Monet‘s recipe
JPY710(tax included)
Beyond the celebrated artist, Claude Monet also was a knowledgeable cook. Our original cookies and jam are based on the recipes left behind by the artist. Particular attention was paid to using ingredients and cooking methods faithful to the artist's lifetime.
Café, Store＆GardenTicket Center Shop
The Ticket Center Shop sells beverages and some Chichu Store merchandise.
- Hours：
- March 1-September 30
10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
October 1-end of February
10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Café, Store＆GardenChichu Garden
Chichu Garden consists of nearly 200 kinds of flowers and trees similar to those planted at Giverny by Claude Monet, whose work is in the museum collection. Here, visitors can enjoy signs of the seasons throughout the year in flora ranging from the water lilies that Monet painted in his later years to willows, irises, and other plants. The garden affords a tangible experience of the nature Monet sought to capture in his paintings.
Programs
ProgramOpen Sky Night Program
(by reservation only)
James Turrell's Open Sky installation can be viewed at any time during museum open hours , but you can also enjoy the serenity of a special 45-minute sunset viewing (Night Program).
Please read before reserving
- ・ To participate the program,“Admission ticket with Night Program” is required. Separate reservation is not required for the Chichu Art Museum admission reservation ticket for a specific date and time.
- ・This program consists of a 45 minutes viewing of James Turrell's Open Sky at sunset. The program is viewed seated.
- ・Please note that you will be exposed to outdoor climatic conditions through the opening in the ceiling.
- ・Please refrain from leaving in the middle of the program.
- ・Please note that no artworks other than James Turrell's Open Sky may be viewed during the program, and must be viewed before the museum closes.
- ・To ensure an optimal viewing enviroment at this program, please refrain from joining with underschool-age children (under age 6), or a group more than 9 people.
- Dates：
- Fridays and Saturdays
* Estimate of Program starting time is the sunset.For more information
- Time Required：
- Approx. 80 minutes
* Including time for participants to assemble at the ticket center and go to and from the installation.
- Group Size：
- 30 persons
- Fee：
- Adult: \3,700(Admission fee included)
6 to 15 years old: \1,000(Viewing is free; only the night program fee applies.)
* Under 15 children also have to pay the Night Program admission.
* Residents of Naoshima and Annual Passport holders are exempt from admission fees; however, the Night Program fee still applies. Please contact us separately via email.
* Please refrain from joining with underschool-age children (under age 6), or a group more than 9 people.
- Reservations：
- Please purchase admission ticket with Night Program.
- Inquiry :
- Mail：[email protected]
Information
Facilities and Services
Payment Methods:
On-site payment methods:
・Cash
・Credit card （VISA / MASTER CARD / JCB / AMERICAN EXPRESS / DINERS / DISCOVER）
・Electronic payment (Alipay / WeChat Pay / PayPay / au PAY / Merpay / d pay / LINE pay / Rakuten Pay )
・Electronic money（Transportation IC cards / QUICPay / nanaco / WAON / iD / Rakuten Edy / Apple Pay）
For visitors with babies or small children
- ・We request that visitors do not bring baby carriages into the museum. Baby carriages can be left at the Chichu Art Museum Ticket Center or the museum reception desk. Baby slings can also be borrowed at the reception desk.
- ・Please note that there is no nursing room in the museum.
- ・There is one restroom with a changing table in the museum and one in the Ticket Center.
For handicapped visitors
(1)Accessibility
Due to characteristics of facility, some places are not accessible for visitors with disabilities and special needs.
We ask for your understanding.
We will support you as much as possible when you visit us, so please contact and discuss directly with our facilities.
(2)About lending wheelchairs, etc.
・Wheelchairs: We have 2 wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-served basis.
・Writing tools: Available.
・Multi-purpose toilets: There are 3 locations on our premises.
・You may enter our facilities with a service dog, a seeing eye dog, and/or a hearing assistance dog.
About admission
- ・No discounts are offered for groups and holders of Disability Certificates (Physical Disability Certificates, Rehabilitation Certificates, or Mental Disability Certificates) are not granted free entry.
Requests to visitors
When visiting the museum
- ・Some of the spaces in the museum require you to remove your shoes. To make your visit more relaxing, we recommend for your visit that you wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on again.
- ・Please do not bring large objects (suitcases, umbrellas, tripods, etc.) into the museum. These should be placed in coin lockers or left at the Ticket Center.
- ・Pets may not be taken into the museum.
- ・Smoking is prohibited on the museum premises.
- ・The use of cell phones is prohibited on the museum premises.
- ・Other than in the cafe, visitors may not eat (including candy, gum, boxed lunches, etc.) or drink on the museum premises.
- ・Visitors may be refused entry if they appear intoxicated or otherwise pose a disturbance to other visitors.
When viewing the artworks
- ・Please do not touch the walls, the glass, or the artworks themselves.
- ・Please do not take photographs, videos, or make sketches in the museum. Visitors are also requested not to use fountain pens, ink, etc.
About using drone
- ・It's strictly prohibited to operate Unmanned Aircrafts (UAs) /Drone in Benesse Art Site Naoshima premises without our prior permission due to safety assurance reasons for the people, architecture and artworks.
Contact
3449-1 Naoshima, Kagawa 7613110 Japan
Tel. +81-(0)87-892-3755
Fax. +81-(0)87-840-8285
Inquiry form
