An inspired blending of modern geometric forms and traditional Japanese motifs, I.M. Pei's ingenious design is an architectural triumph. The building, 80 percent of which is underground, is nestled within a 247-acre mountainous nature preserve. The project includes a custom-designed, steel space frame supporting the glass roof of the museum. The museum consists of a Main Hall, which joins the North and South Wings, both both comprising 107,650 sf (10,000 sm) of exhibition space.

Shinji Shumeikai, the spiritual organization that commissioned the building, and local governing authorities were deeply concerned about preserving the natural splendor of the site. In response to those concerns, I.M. Pei conceived of a tunnel through the mountain and a bridge across the valley to reach the museum. The Miho Museum Bridge was ecologically designed by LERA to span the deep valley without the intervention of piers rising up from the ground.

The 400 ft / 120-m long bridge combines key elements of three different structural systems to produce an elegant and highly efficient design. The bridge consists of a combination of cantilevered, cable-stayed and post-tensioned design that produced a shallow bridge 6.5 ft (2 m) deep, where the biggest structural member is just 10.5-inches (267 mm) in diameter.