箱根に点在する美術館の中で最もアクセスしやすい美術館である。その分、休日だけでなく平日も多くの利用客で混雑し、特に箱根の山...
続きを読む々が錦に色づく晩秋の頃の混雑ぶりは推して知るべしである。
ほとんどの作品が屋外にあるため、作品そのものは勿論のこと、敷地内の木々の緑、箱根の山々の景色、空模様、それらを複合的に借景として楽しめる。（雨脚が強い日は流石に億劫になるが）雨の日ならではの楽しみ方もある。どんな時間帯、どんな季節、どんな天候の日に訪れても異なった楽しみと視点を与えてくれる数少ない美術館だと思う。
敷地自体は広すぎず程よいものの、多くの作品をじっくり鑑賞してもらいたいがために、随所でくねくねした小路になっている（敷地内に小さな起伏がいくつもあるため、そのような小路にせざるを得ない、という側面もあるかもしれない）ため、敷地内を巡るだけでも1時間は簡単に過ぎてしまう。敷地内には随所に休憩するためのベンチが設置されているが、充分な数量とは言い難い。
車椅子等の障碍を持つ方やベビーカーを利用する方でも自由に行き来できるよう、ほぼ全ての箇所でスロープだったりエレベーターが設置されているが、勾配がやや急なところや道幅が狭いところがあるところに注意が必要となる。また、一部小路が複雑になっているため、小さな子供は迷子になりやすい。子供に楽しんでもらうための遊び場は複数設けられているが、敷地内の移動の際はしっかりと手を繋いで移動した方がいいかもしれない。
訪問する季節やタイミングにもよるが、チケットは事前に購入した方がいいかもしれない。空いている日程であっても、当日チケット購入カウンターには列が出来、購入までに時間を要することがある。また敷地内にはいくつかレストランやカフェがあるが、昼食時間帯はどこも混雑し、天候が悪い日には混雑状況にさらに拍車がかかる。食事のタイミング等は事前に計画やタイミングを練って行動した方がいいかもしれない。
Of all the museums scattered throughout Hakone, I think this is the most easily accessible. Perhaps for that very reason, it attracts large numbers of visitors on weekdays as well as weekends. The crowds can be particularly intense in late autumn, when the mountains of Hakone are covered in brilliant fall colors.
Since most of the artworks are displayed outdoors, visitors can appreciate not only the works themselves but also the surrounding greenery, the scenery of the Hakone mountains, and the ever-changing sky, all of which combine to form a natural backdrop to the art.
Even rainy days offer their own distinctive experience, although admittedly, exploring the grounds in heavy rain can be rather unpleasant. I think this is one of the few museums that offers something different with every visit, regardless of the time of day, season, or weather. Each visit can reveal new perspectives and ways of appreciating both the artworks and their surroundings.
The grounds are reasonably spacious without being overwhelmingly large. However, the paths wind and curve in many places, seemingly designed to encourage visitors to take their time appreciating the numerous works of art. The site's many small changes in elevation may also partly explain this layout. As a result, it's easy to spend well over an hour simply exploring the grounds.
Benches are provided at various points throughout the museum, but I would hesitate to say that there are enough of them, particularly for visitors who need to rest frequently.
Ramps and elevators have been installed in almost all areas to make the grounds accessible to wheelchair users and visitors with strollers. However, some slopes are relatively steep, and certain pathways are rather narrow, so extra care may be necessary when moving around.
Some of the winding paths also form a fairly complicated network, making it relatively easy for young children to lose their way. Although there are several play areas designed for children to enjoy, I would recommend holding their hands while walking between different parts of the museum.
Depending on the season and timing of your visit, purchasing tickets in advance may be a good idea. Even on relatively quiet days, queues can form at the on-site ticket counters, and purchasing admission tickets may take longer than expected.
There are also several restaurants and cafés within the museum grounds, but they tend to become crowded around lunchtime. On days with poor weather, the congestion can become even worse, presumably because more visitors choose to spend time indoors.
For this reason, I would recommend thinking ahead about when and where to eat, rather than simply waiting until you become hungry.
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