The Museum of the Ancient Orient 古代オリエント博物館
- Published on : 20/02/2019
- by : J.R.
- Youtube
Mysteries of the Orient in Tokyo
Located in the north of the capital, the Museum of the Ancient Orient presents a fine collection of ancient objects from the Near East and Central Asia. Aficionados of ancient art as well as the curious will enjoy discovering this easy-to-navigate museum.
Antiquity in Tokyo
Antiquity enthusiasts will be delighted to discover the Museum of the Ancient East . Located in the Ikebukuro district, on the 7th floor of the Sunshine City shopping center , this small private museum, open since 1978, presents collections from Egypt, the Near East, but also from Central Asia . This is the very first museum presenting the ancient Orient opened in Japan, and it now houses more than 5,000 works dating from the Paleolithic era until the 7th century AD . In addition to the permanent collections, temporary exhibitions (sometimes on other regions of the world) are regularly organized. Sculptures, jewellery, ceramics, models... the many items in the display cases provide a better understanding of the ancient civilizations of these regions of the world.
- To discover: Dive into the past, the Edo-Tokyo Museum
The rooms are organized into six parts: Interactions between East and West , Ancient Iran , Ancient Egypt , Mesopotamia , Excavations in Syria by Japanese Scholars, and The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East .
Evidence from the ancient Orient
The museum thus focuses mainly on three major regions: Egypt, Mesopotamia and Central Asia (India and Pakistan in particular). The common thread for the latter being the Silk Roads. Many ceramics, reliefs and small sculptures, furniture, tools and crockery bear witness to the daily life and history of these regions during Antiquity.
It should be noted that the collections include very beautiful pieces testifying to the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara , an ancient region of Pakistan. Magnificent busts and bas-reliefs illustrate this synthesis of Greek and Hindo-Buddhist styles, following the visit of Alexander the Great to this region of the world at the very beginning of our era.
A Mesopotamian sculpture from the collections
Where in Tokyo
Reproduction of the Code of Hamurabi
Tokyo Museum of the Ancient East
The "Mesopotamia" rooms
Tokyo Museum of the Ancient East
You will also find in the rooms a faithful reproduction of the Code of Hammurabi , a Babylonian law code from the 2nd millennium BC, and masterpiece of the collections of the Louvre Museum.
Beautiful temporary exhibitions
In addition to its permanent collections, the museum organizes three times a year a focus on a theme , which gives rise to a small exhibition. It may be the latest discoveries made , especially those in Syria and more generally in the Middle East , but also a presentation of art from various regions of the world , whether in Asia, Europe or the Americas. .
Various subjects were covered, such as the recent excavations in Bulgaria, the Japanese zodiac, the Bedouins of the Syrian desert, or the civilizations of Amazonia ...
A temporary exhibition on the Amazon
Tokyo Museum of the Ancient East
A temporary exhibition on the mosaics of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem
Tokyo Museum of the Ancient East
Address, timetable & access
Address
Phone
+81 (0)3-3989-3491Timetable
15 minutes on foot from JR Ikebukuro Station or 5 minutes on foot from Higashi - Ikebukuro StationPrice
Adult: 600 yen (4€80) Student: 500 yen (4€) Child: 200 yen (1€60)Access
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Website
http://aom-tokyo.com/english/
