21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is a circular building in Hirosaka, Kanazawa, featuring multiple entrances and transparent glass facades. The exhibition spaces spread across roughly 17000 square meters and follow an open floor plan without a central axis.

The museum opened in October 2004 as part of a city cultural project aimed at establishing Kanazawa as a center for contemporary art. The decision to locate it near the old castle district was meant to connect historical and modern elements of the city.

The museum name refers to its founding year and its focus on works created after the year 2000. The building itself serves as an art object, showing how architecture can reshape the dialogue between viewers and contemporary installations.

The section with freely accessible artworks and community spaces stays open until 22:00, while the ticketed exhibition rooms close at 18:00 on weekdays. The different entrances allow direct access to various parts of the building.

The swimming pool installation uses a transparent acrylic sheet covered with a thin layer of water, allowing visitors to meet simultaneously above and below the water surface. This space shows how simple optical effects can change the perception of space and depth.

Location: Hirosaka

Inception: October 9, 2004

Architects: SANAA

Official opening: October 9, 2004

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Address: 1 Chome-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8509

Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10:00-18:00; Friday-Saturday 10:00-20:00

Phone: 0762202800

Website: https://kanazawa21.jp/it

GPS coordinates: 36.56080,136.65800

Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:02