The National Art Center, Tokyo opened in 2007 as the fifth facility belonging to the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art, with the mission of contributing to the creation of a new culture based on the perspective of mutual understanding and coexistence through art. Since then, instead of having a collection, it has operated as an art center where people can experience and learn about various artistic expressions and appreciate diverse values. Specifically, it is working to hold a variety of exhibitions making use of its exhibition space (14,000 m2), which is one of the largest in Japan, collect, make public, and provide information and materials related to art, and implement various educational programs.

The south side of the building, designed with the concept of "an art museum in the forest," features a beautifully curved, undulating glass curtain wall that, together with the conical front entrance, creates a unique exterior. From the atrium lobby on the first floor, visitors can look through the glass and enjoy the seasonal views of the plants and trees that have been planted to blend in with the greenery of the area, including Aoyama Park. The building was also designed with a variety of functionality in mind, including earthquake and safety measures using seismic isolation devices, resource conservation measures through the reuse of rainwater, energy conservation measures such as an underfloor air conditioning system, universal design, and a direct access to Nogizaka Station on the subway.

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1934. After graduating from Kyoto University's Department of Architecture, he went on to graduate school at the University of Tokyo and joined the Kenzo Tange Laboratory. In 1960, at the age of 26, he proposed the architectural theory "Metabolism" with Kikutake Kiyonori and others. In 1962, he established the Kisho Kurokawa & Associates. His major works include the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Nagoya City Art Museum, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Fukui City Art Museum, the New Wing of the Van Gogh Museum (Netherlands), and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Malaysia). He has received numerous awards both at home and abroad, including the Architectural Institute of Japan Prize, the Japan Art Academy Prize, and the Order of Arts and Letters by France. In 2006, he was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit. He passed away in October 2007 at the age of 73. The National Art Center, Tokyo was the last of the many museums designed by Kisho Kurokawa to be completed during his lifetime.