Kyoto City Archaeological Museum
[KITANO-NISHIJIN]
The Kyoto City Archaeological Museum is the main museum in Kyoto focusing on the history of this ancient city and former capital of Japan. It displays artefacts from the Stone Age to the twentieth century, excavated from sites throughout the city.
The museum’s vast collection includes pottery, stone and metal utensils, remains of ancient dwellings, wooden tools, and more. A selection of these items is displayed in the permanent exhibition on the second floor, while the gallery on the first floor is used for special exhibitions, of which there are at least three every year.
The museum building dates from 1914 and was designed by architect Motono Seigo (1882–1944) to be a place for displaying and promoting Nishijin-ori textiles, for which the surrounding neighborhood has long been famous. The building was converted into an archaeological museum in 1979 and is now a registered Tangible Cultural Property of the city of Kyoto.