To provide a machine tool and a tool change method capable of inhibiting an impact caused by moving a heavy tool, and concurrently performing present step machining and moving a next step tool to shorten a tool change time.

A tool information table memorizes weight information of each tool. A machining center reads the tool information table to determine whether the next step tool is either a standard tool or the heavy tool during tool change, and moves the standard tool at a high speed and the heavy tool at a low speed when moving the next step tool from a storage position to an exchange standby position by a tool magazine, thereby inhibiting the impact resulting from moving the tool, and concurrently allowing machining by a tool mounted to a spindle and moving of the tool in the tool magazine.