The museum came into being in 1872 , when the first exhibition was held by the Museum Department of the Ministry of Education at the Taiseiden Hall . This marked the inauguration of the first museum in Japan . Soon after the opening , the museum moved to Uchiyamashita-cho ( present Uchisaiwai-cho ) , then in 1882 moved again to the Ueno Park , where it stands today . Since its establishment , the museum has experienced major challenges such as the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923 , and a temporary closing in 1945 , during World War II . In more than the 120 years of its history , the museum has gone under much evolution and transformation through organizational reforms and administrative change
Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kantō earthquake
Tokyo National Museum