Taro Okamoto Museum of Art

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art

川崎市岡本太郎美術館
Exterior of the museum, 2017
Location	Ikuta Ryokuchi Park, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Type	Art museum
Collections	approx. 1,779 works
Collection size	Works by Tarō Okamoto, Kanoko Okamoto, Ippei Okamoto
Visitors	81,944 (FY2019)
Owner	City of Kawasaki
Public transit access	Mukōgaoka-Yūen Station (Odakyū Odawara Line)
Website	www.taromuseum.jp

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art (岡本太郎美術館, Okamoto Tarō Bijutsukan) is an art museum located in Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. Located within Ikuta Ryokuchi Park in Tama Ward, the museum opened in 1999.

The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art is dedicated to the life and work of Japanese artist Tarō Okamoto (1911–1996) and houses a collection of his paintings, sculptures, designs, and related materials. It also preserves works by his parents, the novelist Kanoko Okamoto and the cartoonist Ippei Okamoto.

History

In November 1991, Okamoto donated 352 works to Kawasaki City, initiating plans for a dedicated museum. A planning committee was established in 1992, and after several proposals and public consultations the site was fixed within Ikuta Ryokuchi Park, on the grounds of a former golf practice area. Construction began in 1996, and the museum was completed in February 1999 before opening to the public later that year.

Work began on the museum's construction in 1996 and the museum was iopened in October 1999. The museum continues to be operated by Kawasaki City.

Building and Facilities

The museum building has a total floor area of about 4,993 square metres. Its design emphasizes underground exhibition spaces integrated into the surrounding park. The grounds include the 30-metre outdoor tower sculpture Tower of Mother (Haha no tō), first conceived by Okamoto in 1971. Facilities also include permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, a museum shop, and a café.

Collection and Exhibitions

The museum holds approximately 1,779 works, including Okamoto’s paintings, sculptures, and large-scale installations. The permanent exhibition introduces different phases of his career with multimedia displays. The museum also organizes temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary art and emerging artists in addition to Okamoto’s oeuvre.

Access

• The museum is located approximately 17 minutes walk from Mukōgaoka-Yūen Station on the Odakyu Line.