Nara National Museum

The Nara National Museum, set within Nara Park, is devoted to Buddhist art and holds one of Japan's finest collections of statues, paintings, and ritual objects. Its original Meiji-era brick gallery, an early example of Western-style public architecture in Japan, contrasts with a modern wing linked by an underground passage. Each autumn the museum hosts a celebrated exhibition of treasures from the nearby Shosoin repository, objects from the eighth century shown only briefly each year. Sculptures of Buddhas and guardians form its core display.