What to wear at teamLab Planets

Do you really walk through water?

Yes. The museum calls itself a place where you walk through water, and its notes say that some artworks involve water that can rise to knee height even for adults. You go through the Water area barefoot. The museum also says the water area is not for swimming, so think of it as wading, not bathing. Clothes can get wet, and the museum says it will ask you to change if yours do. Everything else in this guide follows from those few facts.

What to wear, item by item

Clothing is almost the whole preparation. The museum's notes point to a short list of choices, and none of them needs special kit. The Water area is the reason for most of them, and the other areas ask very little of what you wear. The aim is to arrive in clothes that survive knee-high water and mirrored floors, with feet you are happy to take out of your shoes.

• Shorts, or trousers you can roll above the knee, so the hems stay out of the water
• Socks and tights you can take off, because the museum asks you to remove them in the locker area
• Shoes you are content to leave in a locker, since they come off at the locker area
• A change of clothes for small children, which the museum recommends
• Nothing you would mind getting damp, as the Water area is where clothes get wet

Skirts, wide trousers and the mirrored floors

Certain areas have mirrored floors. The museum's help page warns that if you wear a skirt, a mini-skirt or wide-hemmed trousers, your underwear may be visible in the reflection. The fix is simple. Wear shorts or narrower trousers, or ask a member of staff for rental shorts. They cost nothing, come in sizes from XS to 6L and are returned at the end of the visit. You only need a pair if you want one.

Which areas are barefoot, and which are not

The museum says that in the Water you experience the artwork barefoot. Wikipedia's summary of the layout since 2025 adds that the Garden and Forest areas can be experienced with shoes on, while the Water area needs bare feet. Separately, some artworks cannot be experienced in sandals without heel support or in high-heeled footwear, and the museum has complimentary rental shoes for that case. If you are unsure which part of your route is shoes-on, ask the staff nearby.

Lockers, bags and what you carry in

Free lockers are provided after you pass the entrance gate. Each is 23 cm wide, 34 cm deep and 37 cm high, and larger suitcases are held with a wire lock in the stroller storage area, which you secure yourself. The museum has dark areas, unstable flooring and artworks that involve walking through water, so for safety and hygiene it prohibits personal belongings in the artwork spaces. If you must carry something necessary, it asks you to speak to its staff first.

What the visit is like, in outline

The museum says its artworks change depending on the presence of people, so your own movement is part of what you see. Its site is organised in four areas: Water, Garden, Forest and Open-Air. The Water area is where you wade. Mirrored floors appear in several works, including one in the Garden. The Forest area is physical and playful, with climbing and bouncing, and the Open-Air area adds works outdoors. Expect dark rooms between some of them.

Read next: Four areas and a closing date

Phones, photos and the app

You can take photos and video, but the museum asks you not to use flash and does not allow monopods, tripods, selfie sticks or other aids of 30 cm or more. It also runs a guide app that explains the concepts of the artworks near you, and a few works use your phone as part of the piece. Eating, drinking and smoking inside are prohibited, so finish your coffee before the gate. One work, The Infinite Crystal Universe, even lets you take part through the app, by choosing stars on your phone to throw into the artwork.

Wet clothes and the towels

If your clothing gets wet, the museum says staff will ask you to change, because it cannot allow entry into the next artwork in wet clothes. Towels are available to rent if you have no change, and the museum asks you to wipe off before moving on. It also says the water temperature is adjusted for the season, the water is filtered while the museum is open and the chlorine level is measured once every hour. In works that use water, it says sodium hypochlorite is used and chlorine is adjusted to meet appropriate standards.

Dressing children

The museum recommends that small children wear clothes they do not mind getting wet, or that you bring a change of clothes for them. It also says visitors with children should never let go of a child's hand, because the site has dark areas and an area with strong lights. Strollers are not allowed inside, and the museum lets visitors with infants enter with a front baby carrier. There must also be one accompanying adult for every three children, including children eligible for free entry.

Read next: Visiting with children

Rain, dusk and the seasons

Some works respond to the weather and the hour. The moss garden stays open in light rain, but the museum says it will not be viewable in typhoon-level winds or heavy rain, and its ovoids glow by themselves after sunset. The orchids in the Garden give off a scent that changes between morning, day, evening and night. Check the museum's site on the day for any notice, because it says some areas may not be accessible at all times.

Who this isn't for

The booking page lists the ticket as not suitable for people with heart problems, wheelchair users and people with epilepsy. The museum says the site has areas with strong stimulating lights and dark areas, and asks anyone prone to cramps or loss of consciousness from light, afraid of confined, dark or high places, or short of breath to take care. Pregnant women are not permitted in some areas. If you cannot get your feet and lower legs wet, the Water area is not for you.

Read next: Access and health notes