The greatest attraction of the National Museum of Ethnology (commonly known as Minpaku) is the sheer scale of its exhibits. It houses approximately 340,000 items, of which approximately 12,000 are on display at any given time.

The main building's exhibits are broadly divided into regional and cross-cultural exhibits. The regional exhibits are divided into Oceania, America, Europe, Africa, and various regions of Asia, including Japan, and travel around the world starting from Oceania in an easterly direction.

The cross-cultural exhibits are not divided by region or ethnic group, but instead provide an overview of the world's ethnic cultures, including music and language.

Photography is permitted.