Hakone Open air museum

No need to get your tickets in advance for this museum. You can get your tickets at the entrance and even if there is a q it moves pretty fast.

More than anything this place is worth visiting as it is a the space is so beautifully designed that it is easy to walk around and gives the impression of vastness.

There space is big yet cleverly integrates art with nature so that even though there are loads of statues and structures, you never feel stifled or overwhelmed. In fact you will want to walk a lot more to take in all of them.

There are loads of outdoor sculptures by various artists and some are rather interesting. Although i think the word art might be a bit stretched here on occasions when you look at the sculptures or when you read the inspiration of these artists behind their work.

Loads of outdoor exhibits and in general 2 big spaces that allow for more interaction. One is the Woods of Net which has a net structure within a wooden dome structure that allows for children to use it as a sort of net playground that they can climb on and swing on. The other is a flower petal like maze that you can walk in and try to find your way out, albeit confusing i must say. In the end i walked the same way back out the way i entered instead of finding the other exit.

As for indoor exhibits, there are 3 (Hakone master piece collection, multi hall that is at the exit, and Picasso Pavilion).

I think the one that people generally spend the most time, is at the Picasso Pavillion. Interestingly instead of chronologically displaying his works or capturing it according to his life:

“This latest exhibit deconstructs the artist himself, presenting perspectives from different angles, such as subject matter and technique, and different points in time, by date of the artwork, so that the viewer may then reconstruct their image of Picasso.

For this exhibit, works from the Picasso Collection have been divided into 17 themes, creating a free and natural exhibition space unbound by chronology.

The Picasso of this exhibit is one who defies definition by a single perspective or specific point in time—Picasso as a continuum transcending time and space.”

The one i enjoyed the most was the symphonic structure. There a circular tower captures the four seasons through stained glass that leads you to an open air space on top with a great view of the museum and the trees and mountains beyond.