The "Vermeer Exhibition" has been held since October last year at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo. This is an exhibition of 9 of Vermeer's works, which are said to be 35 existing works, which is the largest number in Japan. * Some exhibits have been changed, and currently 8 are on display.

It will be held until February 3rd. There are only two weeks left to enjoy in Tokyo. From February 16th, the Osaka exhibition will be held in a different location.

I'm not a fan of Vermeer, but I'm glad I went there. I was impressed not only by the work but also by the mechanism of the exhibition, so let me introduce the good points.

Vermeer's work is organized

The highlights of Vermeer's works are exhibited together in the innermost room called the "Vermeer Room". Therefore, it is possible to concentrate on Vermeer's viewing. It is easier to see by comparing the range of expression and the improvement of drawing power from the early stage to the late stage.

Work description is a booklet

It was the first system I met, but this is good. Normally, in an exhibition, the work and the commentary panel are viewed as a set, but this is a major cause of congestion. I feel like I have to read it when there is a panel.

At the Vermeer exhibition, only works and opus numbers are posted on the wall. You can only see the work while walking, and only when you are interested, check the number → open the explanation page. When reading the commentary, if you go back, it will not bother other people.


As the congestion was eased, I felt that the pictures could be seen more sensuously because the characters did not come in.

Free audio guide

Tickets are expensive at 2,500 yen, so it seems like it's free or "included", but this is also good. You don't have to worry about what to do about 500 yen, and you can leave the venue with the satisfaction of "tasting a rare opportunity." By the way, the guide voice is Satomi Ishihara.

Specified date and time admission system

A system for purchasing tickets with a designated admission date and time in advance. I honestly can't tell how this worked, but on weekday mornings I went there was no waiting time and I was able to enter smoothly.

The point is "designation only for admission time", not a replacement system. You can enter your favorite time from the 1 hour and 30 minute frame and stay as long as you like. It is recommended to aim for the second half instead of immediately after the start of the frame because it is relatively free.

At the end

As mentioned above, the Vermeer exhibition is not only about the work itself, but also about "care for how it looks". After the exhibition, I often think that the work was good, but I told you that it is rare to think that the exhibition method was good. It's going to be even more crowded just before the end, so if you're missing out, hurry up!