The building of the Himeji Municipal Museum of Art is a red brick structure built in 1905 as an armory for the former army. After the war, it was used as the Himeji City Hall, but was revitalized as an art museum when the city hall was relocated. The building was designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2003. The museum's collection of approximately 5,000 items includes artworks related to the local area as well as masterpieces of modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad. In particular, since Himeji is a sister city of Charleroi, Belgium, the museum has about 350 pieces of Belgian art in its collection, providing an overview of modern art in this country. In addition, the collection donated by local physician Keizo Kunitomi includes masterpieces of French modern art by Corot, Pissarro, Monet, Rouault, Utrillo, Matisse, and others. Museum facilities include a temporary exhibition room and a collection gallery, and 13 outdoor sculptures are located in the garden. The special exhibition rooms feature a variety of special exhibitions introducing outstanding art from Japan and abroad, as well as the “Himeji City Art Exhibition,” an open call for entries. A museum store and café are also located here, providing visitors with a place to relax.