4 Must-See Museums in Osaka and How to Visit

From the Museum of Oriental Ceramics to Osaka Museum of History, here's where to go.

2 min readMar 2, 2018By Lydia Schrandt

A statue in one of Osaka's popular museums

Hi, I'm Lydia!

Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.

Osaka is as rich in history and culture as in culinary prowess and cosmopolitan appeal. Learn more about the city's important role in regional and national Japanese history at its top-notch museums, which showcase everything from ceramics to contemporary art to housing. Here are a few must-see museums in Osaka.

Why you are seeing these recommendations

1. Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

Lanterns and other ornaments inside Osaka Museum of Housing and Living.

Exhibits at the Osaka Museum of Housing.Photo Credit: Kit Leong / Shutterstock

For recreated buildings from Osaka's past.

Meander the streets of Osaka during the 1800s in the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living. This innovative museum brings history into the present with recreated buildings and streets from Osaka’s past. The life-sized model of Osaka during the Edo Period is the only one of its kind in Japan. Visitors also learn about Osaka’s development and how life has changed throughout the centuries through interactive exhibits.

Visit Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

2. Museum of Oriental Ceramics

The huge brick exterior of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics.

Outside the Museum of Oriental Ceramics.Photo Credit: soraneko / Shutterstock

For an impressive ceramics collection.

The Museum of Oriental Ceramics has thousands of works of art in its holdings, from China, Korea, and Japan, more than a dozen of which have been designated as national treasures. Learn more about history through a visit to the permanent ceramics collection, among the best in the world. Expect English descriptions on the about 300 pieces displayed.

Visit Museum of Oriental Ceramics

3. Osaka Museum of History

Big exhibits inside the Osaka Museum of History.

The Osaka Museum of History is a must-visit.Photo Credit: Jimmy Yan / Shutterstock

For hands-on activities.

Visitors to the Osaka Museum of History choose between two paths through the museum, a short Highlights Course and a longer Complete Course. Both offer hands-on activities and life-size displays that bring to life Osaka City’s rich history, spanning from pre-feudal days to the early 20th century.

Visit Osaka Museum of History

4. National Museum of Art, Osaka

The modern exterior of the National Museum of Art, Osaka.

Outside the National Museum of Art.Photo Credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock

For an architectural masterpiece.

The building that houses the National Museum of Art is a work of modern art itself. The unique architecture symbolizes the growth patterns and strength of bamboo. All of the museum’s exhibitions are underground with the ground floor serving only as an entrance. The museum prides itself on collecting top-notch post-war era contemporary art from Japan and the world.