Yokosuka Museum of Art

Special Exhibition | August 4, 2026

The rooftop is accessible from the park on the hillside at the same level. From the deck, you can enjoy views of the Uraga Channel. The building and landscape were planned to blend seamlessly into the historic surroundings, resembling a glass box. Photo courtesy of Yokosuka Museum of Art
A view of the museum from the walkway on the seaside. The building is kept low, and many of the museum's functions are located underground. A gentle slope leads to the entrance. Restaurants, shops, and workshops are located facing the approach. Photo courtesy of Yokosuka Museum of Art
A bridge spanning the atrium allows a glimpse into the exhibition rooms on the lower floor. The sea is visible beyond a circular cutout gate. Throughout the museum, visitors can enjoy the beautiful sea framed by windows. Photo courtesy of Yokosuka Museum of Art. Photography by Tadashi Yamamoto.

A transparent and highly circulating building overlooking the Uraga Channel.

Located in Kannonzaki Park on the Miura Peninsula in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, this art museum overlooks the Uraga Channel of Tokyo Bay, a hub of traversal by numerous ships. Based on the theme of "the entire environment as an art museum," architect Riken Yamamoto embedded much of the building underground, keeping the above-ground height low and creating architecture that harmonizes with its surroundings. The building features a double-skin structure with salt-resistant glass on the exterior and white steel plates on the interior. Irregularly placed round windows frame the scenery from various points within the museum, offering surprising glimpses of the sea and ships outside, like paintings. Parts of the three exhibition rooms (large, medium, and small) are connected to the common areas, creating a highly circulating plan that enhances anticipation for viewing the artwork. The rooftop terrace, facing the horizon, connects seamlessly to the park behind it. The building's high degree of transparency allows natural light to enter during the day and artificial light at night, creating a captivating space to confront the vast ocean both day and night.

Yokosuka Museum of Art*Scheduled to reopen on September 5, 2026.
・Architect : Riken Yamamoto（Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop）
・Location : 4-1 Kamoi, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
・Use : Museum
・Completed : 2006

Text: Yoshinao Yamada

Interviews with Architectural Giants - Riken Yamamoto

“"The museum belongs to the citizens, and no one else. That's why we made it function as a part of everyday life."”