Few artists have seen their work move so powerfully from gallery spaces into the collective imagination as Yayoi Kusama. Dots, mirrors, infinite spaces, vivid colors, and her instantly recognizable pumpkins have become a visual language we now recognize almost instinctively. Yet behind the Instagram-friendly aesthetic lies a body of work the artist developed over more than seven decades. “Forget yourself. Become one with eternity. Become part of your environment,” the celebrated Japanese artist once said, referring to her explorations of infinity and the interplay of repetition, disappearance, and the cosmos to which she devoted herself.

She passed away this August at the age of 97, while her work continues to exist on almost every continent, in museum collections, open-air public spaces, and installations that have become destinations in their own right.

The good news for anyone wishing to experience her work in person is that some of her most important installations are not merely part of occasional retrospectives. Some have become permanent fixtures in their locations, while others are on long-term display in museums. These are ten places worth marking on the map, from the Japanese island of Naoshima to London, Los Angeles, and Bilbao.

Yayoi Kusama Museum, Tokyo

If you want to step directly into Yayoi Kusama’s world, the most logical place to begin is Tokyo, home to the Yayoi Kusama Museum, which the artist founded in 2017 and which is devoted entirely to her work. Located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, the museum was not conceived as a traditional institution with a permanent display. Instead, its exhibitions rotate, meaning each visit offers a different perspective on her oeuvre.

For late summer 2026, the museum is presenting KUSAMA’s POP, an exhibition exploring her relationship with Pop Art, repetition, vivid colors, and the motifs that became her signature. Another compelling reason to visit is the newly opened small mirrored room, where colorful dots multiply into infinity, as well as an installation of inflatable objects that fills the space with color. The exhibition runs until August 30, 2026. If you are traveling to Tokyo later in the year, the museum will reopen with The Light Spreads Out, and Glittering Things Start Appearing All Around Me, scheduled to run from October 8, 2026, to January 31, 2027.

It is important to note that tickets are not sold at the entrance. They must be purchased in advance through the museum’s official website, and visits are organized into specific 90-minute time slots.

Pumpkin, Naoshima, Japan

There may be no better example of an artwork becoming inseparable from its setting. Kusama’s yellow pumpkin with black dots stands at the end of a pier on the island of Naoshima, in front of the Benesse House Museum and surrounded by the Seto Inland Sea. Pumpkin was first installed there in 1994 and was created specifically for this landscape. The original sculpture was destroyed in a typhoon in 2021, but a new version was made and installed in the same location in 2022. Benesse Art Site Naoshima continues to list it as part of its permanent art program.

Plan your visit: The sculpture is outdoors and forms part of Naoshima’s artistic landscape. However, access may be temporarily restricted due to strong winds or weather conditions, as has happened in recent years.

Phantom Flower, Matsumoto, Japan

If Naoshima turned Kusama’s art into a symbol of the island, Matsumoto is where her story returns to its beginnings. In her hometown, outside the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, stands the monumental 2002 sculpture Phantom Flower. The enormous flower, covered in Kusama’s signature pattern, is one reason a visit to the museum begins before you even enter the building. In 2026, the museum still lists it as an artwork that can be viewed from outside.

Plan your visit: It is located outside the Matsumoto City Museum of Art at 4-2-22 Chuo, Matsumoto. The museum is generally open from 9 am to 5 pm, but any changes to opening hours should be checked before visiting.

Infinity Mirrored Room – A Wish for Human Happiness Calling from Beyond the Universe, Bilbao, Spain

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is home to one of Kusama’s most important later Infinity Mirror Room installations. Created in 2020, A Wish for Human Happiness Calling from Beyond the Universe consists of mirrors, LED lighting, and metal elements that create the illusion of an endless space. The installation is part of the permanent collection and is currently on display in Gallery 301.

Plan your visit: The Guggenheim Bilbao is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. Due to the limited number of visitors allowed inside the installation, there may be a wait.

The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, Los Angeles

At The Broad in Los Angeles (Address: 221 S Grand Avenue), Kusama’s world becomes an almost physical experience. Created in 2013, Infinity Mirrored Room: The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away is a mirrored space filled with illuminated elements that create the sensation of stepping into an infinite universe. The work is part of The Broad’s collection, and no closing date has been announced. Unlike some other museum installations, visitors physically enter the space, although the experience lasts no more than one minute.

Plan your visit: A separate reservation for Infinity Mirrored Room is required in addition to a museum ticket. Tickets are released monthly, and the installation is currently open.