21st Century Museum

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art  opened in 2004 in downtown Kanazawa, just a few steps from Kenrokuen. It exhibits works of acclaimed contemporary artists from Japan and all over the world, and is among Japan's most popular art museums.

The architecture of the 21st Century Museum is unique and distinguishes it from other museums and buildings around Kanazawa. The museum is comprised of a circular building, 112.5 meters in diameter, with no facade or main entrance. It was designed without a front or back to discourage its patrons from approaching the museum, and consequently its art, from only one direction.

The central paid area of the museum hosts temporary exhibits, and usually has one or two concurrently on display. As it is designed to incorporate into the surrounding community, the museum also has a number of public spaces which include a library, lecture halls and children's workshops.

Interspersed among the public spaces of the museum are some permanent installations open free to the public. These include works such as Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool", a pool where people appear to be underwater (entry inside the pool requires paid admission); and James Turrell's "Blue Planet Sky", an exhibit exploring light as a medium which has counterpart exhibits around the world.