The museum's current building was constructed in 1975 and designed by modernist architect Kunio Maekawa, remaining one his most well-known works today.

The Tokyo Prefectural Art Museum was first conceptualized with the support of Japanese industrialist Keitaro Sato, a coal magnate from Kyushu.

[3] Despite these early criticisms, the museum would not begin amassing a permanent collection until the 1970s, due to a combination of pressures by local artist collectives and turbulent trajectory of the physical site itself, which began deteriorating in the 1960s and was replaced by a new museum building in 1975.

The current structure, designed in 1975 by modernist architect Kunio Maekawa, was built with the surrounding green space of Ueno park in mind and has been praised by critics and visitors alike for an aesthetic that is avant-garde yet simultaneously harmonious with the nature surrounding it.

In addition to these “blockbuster” exhibitions, the museum puts on frequent shows from its permanent collection, as well as yearly showcases of contemporary Japanese calligraphy.