National Museum of Asian Art on Postcard

"The Sackler Gallery Together, the Freer Gallery and the Sackler make up the Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Art. In 1987, the Sackler launched with a 1,000-piece collection and funds donated by Dr. Arthur Sackler, a research physician and medical publisher. Early Chinese jades and bronzes, Chinese paintings and lacquerware, Near Eastern ceramics and metalware dating from the 4th to 7th centuries, and Hindu and Buddhist sculpture from the 10th to the 18th centuries constitute the bulk of his gift. Accompanying the permanent collection are special rotating exhibitions showcasing various aspects of ancient and contemporary Asian art."

The Best Museums in Washington, D.C.

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@afar

"Whistler's Peacock Room Once a dining room belonging to wealthy shipbuilder Frederick Leyland from Liverpool, then a private exhibition space at the mansion of wealthy Detroit industrialist Charles Lang Freer, American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room is now a treasure of the Freer Gallery of Art. Adorned with oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, and wood, the room is filled with Freer's collection of over 250 ceramics from Egypt, Iran, China, Japan, and Korea as well as Buddhist sculpture and two parchment Bibles: a codex of the Old Testament books of Deuteronomy and Joshua, and the third-oldest manuscript of the Gospels in the world dubbed the "Codex Washingtonensis." Truly a blend of East and West."

The Best Museums in Washington, D.C.

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Rae G-Lifeguard

Google

I absolutely loved exploring this museum. I have previously lived in China, so of course I was delighted to explore that section of the museum, but I truly loved the “Shahnama “ exhibit, which showcased Mongolian art and stories and how they shifted over time. The whole museum was lovely, and I appreciated being able to go out and sit in the courtyard for a few minutes when I wanted a break. Terrific museum, and I hope to come back soon!

no “noe” lyn

Google

Very detailed and informative. Well cleaned and maintained. Beautiful museum I have ever been. If you like Art, you may want to check this museum.

Hayley F

Google

I absolutely love the artifacts in this museum. There are so many beautiful historical treasures. The information in each artifact is detailed and easy to understand. I appreciate each exhibit and the flow of the exhibition, going from gallery 1 to 30. The Peacock Room is a must to visit. It is so beautiful. There are no words in the room, but there are rows and columns of historical items. The Japanese supernatural exhibits are very interesting too. There is an amazing exhibit on different Buddha statues too. I highly recommend to visit this museum to learn more about Asian art. After the art visit, visiting the museum shop is a must as there are many interesting items to purchase. It took me 3hrs to walk through and read most of the exhibits.

Henry Zhang

Google

I mainly went to the exhibition halls display Chinese collections. There are few visitors on weekdays and it is very quiet. All the collections are very exquisite, representative and with great artistic value. If you want to have a complete and detailed tour may take several days.

Luke Nam

Google

I visited the National Museum of Asian Art for Solstice Saturday 2024, when it was open until midnight. All the other museums around the National Mall (except for the African Art Museum right by) were closed, so it was incredibly packed inside the building. No in-advance tickets need to be purchased, and just like other Smithsonian museums, it's free to enter. I spent about an hour touring the entire museum, as it's quite small compared to the other museums at the mall. Still, the museum boasts a historical collection of paintings, artifacts, and fabrics from China, Korea, and Japan. Detailed captions provide context and tell stories that pair nicely with the art collection. The center of the museum hosts a patio with a beautiful fountain and lush greenery. It was hot and crowded with the heat wave and Solstice Saturday ongoing, so make sure to stay hydrated!

Sam Waterman

Google

It's definitely a hidden gem, especially considering the Smithsonian really only has an Asian American center rather than a museum - which is so odd. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the galleries were pretty cool, but the one's which really stole the spotlight were the Japanese galleries on handmade metal work and staging the supernatural. Extremely beautiful pieces of timeless art!

Katrina W

Google

The least interesting of all the Smithsonian Museums. And if you compare it with the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, it becomes even less significant. I felt that I spent more time trying to navigate stairs and empty corridors than enjoying the artefacts or learning anything.

Ravi Ravishankar

Google

A solid collection of paintings, sculptures and other artifacts from Asia and South East Asia. The Peacock Room is a "wow". Not very crowded - most tourists seem to prioritize the National Gallery of Art. Don't miss this gem! And like other Smithsonian museums, there is no entry fee.

Rae G-Lifeguard

Google

I absolutely loved exploring this museum. I have previously lived in China, so of course I was delighted to explore that section of the museum, but I truly loved the “Shahnama “ exhibit, which showcased Mongolian art and stories and how they shifted over time. The whole museum was lovely, and I appreciated being able to go out and sit in the courtyard for a few minutes when I wanted a break. Terrific museum, and I hope to come back soon!

no “noe” lyn

Google

Very detailed and informative. Well cleaned and maintained. Beautiful museum I have ever been. If you like Art, you may want to check this museum.

Hayley F

Google

I absolutely love the artifacts in this museum. There are so many beautiful historical treasures. The information in each artifact is detailed and easy to understand. I appreciate each exhibit and the flow of the exhibition, going from gallery 1 to 30. The Peacock Room is a must to visit. It is so beautiful. There are no words in the room, but there are rows and columns of historical items. The Japanese supernatural exhibits are very interesting too. There is an amazing exhibit on different Buddha statues too. I highly recommend to visit this museum to learn more about Asian art. After the art visit, visiting the museum shop is a must as there are many interesting items to purchase. It took me 3hrs to walk through and read most of the exhibits.

Henry Zhang

Google

I mainly went to the exhibition halls display Chinese collections. There are few visitors on weekdays and it is very quiet. All the collections are very exquisite, representative and with great artistic value. If you want to have a complete and detailed tour may take several days.

Luke Nam

Google

I visited the National Museum of Asian Art for Solstice Saturday 2024, when it was open until midnight. All the other museums around the National Mall (except for the African Art Museum right by) were closed, so it was incredibly packed inside the building. No in-advance tickets need to be purchased, and just like other Smithsonian museums, it's free to enter. I spent about an hour touring the entire museum, as it's quite small compared to the other museums at the mall. Still, the museum boasts a historical collection of paintings, artifacts, and fabrics from China, Korea, and Japan. Detailed captions provide context and tell stories that pair nicely with the art collection. The center of the museum hosts a patio with a beautiful fountain and lush greenery. It was hot and crowded with the heat wave and Solstice Saturday ongoing, so make sure to stay hydrated!

Sam Waterman

Google

It's definitely a hidden gem, especially considering the Smithsonian really only has an Asian American center rather than a museum - which is so odd. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the galleries were pretty cool, but the one's which really stole the spotlight were the Japanese galleries on handmade metal work and staging the supernatural. Extremely beautiful pieces of timeless art!

Katrina W

Google

The least interesting of all the Smithsonian Museums. And if you compare it with the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, it becomes even less significant. I felt that I spent more time trying to navigate stairs and empty corridors than enjoying the artefacts or learning anything.

Ravi Ravishankar

Google

A solid collection of paintings, sculptures and other artifacts from Asia and South East Asia. The Peacock Room is a "wow". Not very crowded - most tourists seem to prioritize the National Gallery of Art. Don't miss this gem! And like other Smithsonian museums, there is no entry fee.

National Museum of Asian Art

National Museum of Asian Art

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