Research and Information Center

Visitors may browse through books, magazines and b/w and color photograph cards at the Research and Information Center.

• Research and Information Center Visitor's guide (Japanese) (PDF)
• Research and Information Center Visitor's guide (English) (PDF)
• Research and Information Center Visitor's guide (Chinese) (PDF)
• Research and Information Center Visitor's guide (Korean) (PDF)

• Access to the center

Hours

Monday-Friday, 9:30-17:00

Requests for books and photocopies are accepted at the counter

9:30-16:00

Floor Map

Closed

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, the last day of the month (if this falls on a holiday, the previous working day), and during the year-end and New Year holidays (please ask for specific dates).
Also subject to closure as occasion demands.

●Closed on Monday, December 18-Tuesday, December 19, for annual facility maintenance.
●Closed on Wednesday, December 27-Wednesday, January 3, 2024, for year-end and New Year holidays.

Please note that opening hours are different from museum gallery opening hours.

Access to the center

Changed from Thursday, September 1, 2011:

• Visitors only using the Research and Information Center
  Access is via the West gate. Registration is required at the West gate and the Reference Counter. Entry is free of charge. Please note that access to galleries is not available.
• Visitors from the Main gate Plaza (with entry to the museum galleries)
  Access from the galleries is via the East entrance of the center. Return to the galleries is through the exit-only door. Please note that entry and exit routes are different.

Map
Floor Map

Available Materials

Books: Books and magazines (Japanese, Chinese, European), including exhibition catalogues and archaeological reports.

Photographs: Color and monochrome photographs of arts, crafts, and archaeological findings of Japan, Korea, China, and other Asian countries, mainly from the collections of the Tokyo National Museum.

Contacting the Research and Information Center

Reference Desk of the Research and Information Center, Tokyo National Museum
Email: lib-ref_tnm@ (add “nich.go.jp” after the @ mark)

• Research and Information Center is a library. The center therefore does not offer assistance to the following:

・Exhibiting/purchasing artworks that you created or own in your collection
・Appraising/researching market prices of old books, documents, or works of art
・School assignments, graduation theses, or general quizzes
・Interpreting/translating/annotating/abstracting books or articles
・Conducting research on behalf of specific individuals or organizations
・Research that can interfere with the Center’s other reference services

• Please note that it may take us some time to reply.
• We can only answer questions about the Research and Information Center. For other inquiries, please use the "Suggestion Box" form at the bottom of the Tokyo National Museum website.