Japan
Miho Museum
Welcome to the mountains near Kyoto, Japan! The Miho Museum is tucked deep in a forested valley — most of it is hidden underground, and you can only reach it by walking through a tunnel and across a bridge.
Why is it famous?
Architect I. M. Pei named his design "Shangri-La," after the legendary hidden paradise from adventure stories.
About three-quarters of the museum is built underground, tucked inside a mountain, so it barely disturbs the forest above it.
The magical journey there
Visitors walk through a curved, glowing tunnel carved through the mountain.
The tunnel opens onto a cable-strung bridge, and only then does the museum's glass-and-steel roof come into view.
Amazing facts
It opened in 1997 and holds over 3,000 pieces of Japanese and international art.
Its glass rooftop lets sunlight pour into the galleries even though most of the building is underground.
Quick facts
- It opened in 1997 and holds over 3,000 pieces of Japanese and international art.
- Its glass rooftop lets sunlight pour into the galleries even though most of the building is underground.
- Pei designed the tunnel's curve and the bridge's angle specifically so the museum stays hidden until the very last moment.
- The museum sits inside a nature reserve, surrounded by forested mountains that change color with the seasons.