The museum was built by inserting a raw concrete box into the shell of a restored wooden house, leaving the original tiled roof and timber structure visible from the exterior.
Tadao Ando chose the Honmura district for the project to engage directly with the island's local residential community.
The interior layout utilizes light wells that capture sunlight from the roof, casting distinct shadows on the bare concrete walls throughout the day.
The structure serves as a hub for understanding the evolution of the Naoshima art projects, which began in the late 1980s.
The Ando Museum is housed within a century-old traditional wooden folk house in the Honmura district of Naoshima, creating a deliberate contrast between historical Japanese architecture and modern concrete interventions. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, the interior features his signature exposed concrete walls and geometric light wells inserted into the original dwelling. The museum chronicles the history of Naoshima's transformation and Ando’s career through architectural models, photographs, and sketches. Visitors navigate a series of interconnected, confined spaces that play with natural light and shadow to create a sense of compression and release. It functions as both a retrospective of the architect’s work on the island and a permanent art installation itself.
The exterior juxtaposition of the traditional wooden house against the concrete entrance gate.
Remove your shoes at the entrance as per local custom and museum policy.
Allow time to explore the surrounding Honmura area, where several other 'Art House Project' sites are located.
Visit on a sunny day to fully appreciate the interplay of natural light on the concrete surfaces.
Do not attempt to touch the exposed concrete walls, as skin oils can damage the finish.
Closed on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a national holiday.
Shoe removal is required; photography of the interior exhibits is strictly prohibited.
