The , which opened in 1968 as the first private art museum in Nagano Prefecture, is today run by a public interest incorporated foundation, in the Wakaho district, in the southeastern section of Nagano in Nagano Prefecture. The museum is located next to the Yushimatenmangu Shrine, a branch of Yushima Tenman-gà « which was founded in 458 in Bunkyà  in Tokyo. The entrance to the museum is through the Yushimatenmangu Shrine. The museum includes a Japanese garden by Mirei Shigemori, a notable 20th century modern landscape architect, that was completed in 1965.
In addition to the museum in Wakaho, there is an annex, the Kitano Cultural Center, which is located in downtown Nagano on Chuo Dori near the Gocho Campus of the University of Nagano and Zenkà Â-ji Temple; and the Togakushi Branch Museum of Kitano Museum of Art, which is located in the mountainous Togakushi district of Nagano City near the entrance to Togakushi Shrine. The Togakushi building received a Nagano City Landscape Award.
Its collection of more than 600 pieces of art includes work by both Japanese and western artists.
March-November, 9:30-17:00 December-February, 9:30-16:30 Closed on Mondays (except public holidays in Japan - but closed on New Year holidays)
Adults: 700 yen High school students, college students, and university students: 500 yen Junior high school students and younger: Free
The museum in Wakaho is wheelchair accessible.
From Nagano Station, bus number 46, the Mamejima Hoshina Onsen Line (大è±Â島ä¿Âç§Â温æ³Âç·Â), run jointly by Nagaden Bus and Alpaca Transit, departs from the Zenkà Âji Exit. The closest bus stop to the museum is Wakaho Branch. From there, it is 500m to the museum.
By car, the museum is approximately 8 minutes from the Suzaka/Nagano Higashi IC, on the JÃ Âshin-etsu Expressway.