Lee Ufan Museum

A museum resulting from the collaboration between internationally acclaimed artist Lee Ufan, presently based mainly in Europe, and architect Tadao Ando.
The Ando-designed semi-underground structure houses paintings and sculptures by Lee spanning a period from the 1970s to the present day. Lee's works resonate with Ando's architecture, giving visitors an impression of both stillness and dynamism. Located in a gentle valley surrounded by hills and the ocean, the museum offers a tranquil space where nature, architecture and art come in resonance with each other, inviting to peaceful and quiet contemplation, in a society overflowing with material goods.

Hours & Admission

Hours:
March 1 - September 30
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
(Last admittance: 5:30 p.m.)
October 1 - last day of February
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(Last admittance: 4:30 p.m.)
Closed:
Mondays
*Open on Mondays for national holidays but closed the next day.
Open Days Calendar
Admission:
JPY1,050
*free for children 15 and under
*Online reservations are not required. Please come directly to the museum.

*If visiting the museum in a group (9 or more people), Please go to Group Visits.

Artist

Artist Lee Ufan

Lee Ufan was one of the leading figures of the Mono-ha school (School of Things), a contemporary art movement emerging in the late 1960s. Lee's works in the museum include two-dimensional paintings featuring repetitive brushstrokes laid down with the rhythm of quiet breathing and sculptures that organically combine stones and steel plates, in which the artist's interventions are reduced to the bare minimum.

Artist
                                  Lee Ufan

Lee Ufan
Born in 1936, Korea. Graduated from Nihon University, Department of Philosophy, Tokyo in 1961. Professor Emeritus of Tama Art University.
Major exhibitions include Lee Ufan (2001, Kunstmuseum Bonn), Lee Ufan: The Art of Margins (2005, Yokohama Museum of Art), Resonance (2007, Venice Biennale), Lee Ufan (2008, Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium), Lee Ufan: Marking Infinity (2011, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum), Lee Ufan Versailles (2014, Château de Versailles), Lee Ufan. Inhabiting Time (2019, Centre Pompidou-Metz), Lee Ufan (2019, Dia Beacon) and Lee Ufan: Open Dimension (2019, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden).

Space: Pole Place

Relatum - Point,Line,Plane ,
2010
Relatum - Dialogue ,
2010
Relatum - Repose or the staff of Titan ,
2013
Porte vers l'infini ,
2019
Relatum - Suggestion ,
2008

Correspondence Place

Relatum - A Signal ,
2010

Space: Encounter Room

From Point ,
1980
From Point ,
1976
From Line ,
1974
With Winds ,
1983
Correspondence ,
1992
Dialogue ,
2017
Relatum,
1968/2010

Space: Void

Dialogue ,
2013

Space: Silence Room

Relatum - Silence ,
2010

Space: Shadow Room

Relatum - Shadow of Stone ,
2010

Space: Meditation Room

Dialogue ,
2010

Architect

Architect Tadao Ando

Located in a gentle valley surrounded by hills and the ocean, the architecture designed by Tadao Ando to conform to the landform and the pole created by Lee in front of the entrance create a tension between the horizontal and the vertical. The floor plan with rectangular and triangular spaces ar ranged across this valley which leads to the sea brings a rhythm to the architecture.

Architect
                                  Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando
Born in Osaka, 1941. Established Tadao Ando Architect & Associates in 1969. Architect and Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo. Recipient of many Japanese and international awards, including the Gold Medal of UIA (International Union of Architects, 2005) and the Pritzker Architecture Prize (1995).
Significant Works: Children's Museum (1989, Hyogo), Church of Light (1989, Osaka), Benesse House Museum (1992, Naoshima), Awaji-Yumebutai (2000, Awaji Island), Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (2002, Texas), Chichu Art Museum (2004, Naoshima).

Other Facilities

Store Lee Ufan Museum Shop

In Lee Ufan Museum Shop, we sell publications related to the artist, as well as a range of original and specially selected goods.
Like "handkerchief" and "scarf" designed by the artist himself, our line-up will make you feel closer to the works of Lee Ufan.

Hours:
March 1-September 30
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
October 1-end of February
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Closed:
The Shop is closed when the museum is closed.
Tel:
+81-(0)87-892-3754
Store
                                Lee Ufan Museum Shop
Lee Ufan Museum JPY4,070(tax included)
Lee Ufan Museum JPY4,070(tax included)

This is the official catalog of the Lee Ufan Museum. It contains dialogues between Lee Ufan and Tadao Ando, the works collected by the museum, and more.

Tote Bag (Grey/Blue) ¥1,980 (tax included)
Tote Bag (Grey/Blue) ¥1,980 (tax included)

This product was created in response to the artist's wish to "create a tote bag to hold a catalogue." The grey colour is based on the motif of a work of art that has been newly drawn, and you can enjoy those mixed colours of the paints. The product is highly practical and has a simple design, making it suitable for all occasions.

Programs

Program Private Tours

Your only private tour. The museum staff will guide you all the works of the museum located indoor and outdoor.

Time Required:
Approx. 45 minutes
Group Size:
1 group (up to 8 persons)
* We accept tour reservations starting from one person.
Fee:
Regular admission (per person) +JPY2,160 per group (up to 8 persons)
Reservations:
Contact us from here with your requirements (desired visit date and time, name of group leader, number in group, contact information).

Note: Reservations are accepted starting two months before the desired date. Reservations are no longer accepted when maximum capacity is reached.

Inquiry:
Tel. +81-(0)87-892-3755
Fax. +81-(0)87-840-8285
Inquiry form

Group Visits

9 or more people Group Visits

In order to ensure a smooth admission, groups of 9 or more visitors who intend to visit Lee Ufan Museum are advised to contact us in advance using the Benesse Art Site Naoshima Group Advance Notice Form.

Contact us :
In order to ensure a smooth admission, groups of 9 or more visitors who intend to visit Lee Ufan Museum are advised to contact us in advance using the "Benesse Art Site Naoshima Group Advance Notice Form."
Please note that we are unable to guarantee that we can accommodate your requested date and/or time of visit.
Inquiry :
Tel. +81-(0)87-892-3754 (Fukutake Foundation)
Fax. +81-(0)87-840-8285
inquiry form

Information

Facilities and Services

For visitors with babies or small children
  • ・Visitors are allowed to enter the museum with a baby carriage, but please note there are stairs inside the museum.
  • ・There is no nursing room nor a changing table in the museum.
For handicapped visitors

(1)Accessibility
Due to characteristics of facility, some places are not accessible for visitors with disabilities and special needs.
We ask for your understanding.
We will support you as much as possible when you visit us, so please contact and discuss directly with our facilities.

(2)About lending wheelchairs, etc.
・Wheelchairs: We have one wheelchair available on a first-come, first-served basis.
・Writing tools: Available.
・Multi-purpose toilets: Not available.
・You may enter our facilities with a service dog, a seeing eye dog, and/or a hearing assistance dog.

About admission
  • ・No discounts are offered for groups and holders of Disability Certificates (Physical Disability Certificates, Rehabilitation Certificates, or Mental Disability Certificates) are not granted free entry.
  • ・We accept the following credit cards: AMEX, Diners, JCB, Master Card, NICOS, VISA

Requests to visitors

When visiting the museum
  • ・Some of the spaces in the museum require you to remove your shoes. To make your visit more relaxing, we recommend for your visit that you wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on again.
  • ・Please do not bring large objects (suitcases, umbrellas, tripods, etc.) into the museum. These should be placed in coin lockers or left at the Ticket Center.
  • ・Pets may not be taken into the museum.
  • ・Smoking is prohibited on the museum premises.
  • ・The use of cell phones is prohibited on the museum premises.
    Visitors may not eat (including candy, gum, boxed lunches, etc.) or drink on the museum premises.
  • Visitors may be refused entry if they appear intoxicated or otherwise pose a disturbance to other visitors.
When viewing the artworks
  • ・Please do not touch the walls, the glass, or the artworks themselves.
  • ・Please do not take photographs, videos, or make sketches in the museum. Visitors are also requested not to use fountain pens, ink, etc.
About using drone
  • ・It's strictly prohibited to operate Unmanned Aircrafts (UAs) /Drone in Benesse Art Site Naoshima premises without our prior permission due to safety assurance reasons for the people, architecture and artworks.

Contact

1390 Azakuraura, Naoshima, Kagawa 7613110 Japan
Tel. +81-(0)87-892-3754 (Fukutake Foundation)
Fax. +81-(0)87-840-8285
Inquiry form