USC Pacific Asia Museum

Most of it is under renovation so I only got to enjoy the central courtyard and Silk Road exhibit. The tranquil garden is free with two lovely ponds. It even as storms from lake Tai, makong me nostalgic for the bike rides and trail runs near that lake. The building itself is reminiscent of courtyards with stone stairwells in eastern China. The Silk Road exhibit is excellent and any child can spend an entire afternoon with interactive activities and real artifacts. It’s always a bit of a misnomer though as the horse is what drew sellers and buyers in Europe and Asia together through trading routes. I look forward to visiting when everything is done in the fall.

This is an amazing museum. The main exhibit was closed when I went but they said it would be back up in the fall. However, they have a very nice outdoor exhibit and kids area aswell.

Only one exhibit at this time. Garden area with Bonsai and Koi pond is beautiful and relaxing.

Quaint Museum in the heart of Pasadena!!! Very accessible and they have a good sized parking lot north of the building and the entrance is on Los Robles. Now to the exhibits; although limited, they are beautifully curated. Think about a smaller version of the big museums although they’re featuring only the “bigger” countries in Asia. Currently, there is a special exhibit about “Dismantling Orientalism” which about presenting the Orient not from the stereotypical eyes of the West which I believe presents a fresher and more accurate take on the subject. I’d like to affirm and thank Grace Nicholson for her vision in making this place available to all. Plan to spend an hour before hitting the dining spots in the area. I also recommend spending a few minutes in their garden and appreciate the architecture.

Terrific selection of art and divided up by regions for the permanent collection. I really appreciate the hands on and interactive exhibits as well. Beautiful courtyard area and plenty of parking. Very pleasantly surprised by the quality of art in the newer collections. Attaching some of my favorite pieces of art I saw there. There is a free entry day each month. I think it's the second Sunday. Their gift shop had a really nice selection of goods.

Parking: free (at least on Sunday), they have the lot on the corner. Plenty of space then. Entry: check online. Free once a month on Sunday. Beautiful building, tiny koi pond, great for pictures. One section is contemporary art that is only tangentially Asian (usually they have Asian heritage). The permanent exhibits are amazing, some very old, and well crafted.

I loved this museum, their rotating exhibition Global Asias is cool, has so many different types of art, very pleasing to the eye and culturally relevant. I also checked out the permanent galleries and it is definitely worth visiting. This museum is free during the month of May during AAPI Heritage Month

New exhibits plenty of free parking . Central gardens are very peaceful.

Great museum with perfect photo options Parking is on the side of the museum and it's free. I went around 1 pm it was not busy at all.

I haven't been excited about art in a very lengthy time. Covid - the pandemic changed my relationship with art. I no longer gravitate towards the European Art (which I still like). No longer had that spark to go into a museum. And when I suffered an injury couple years back - I haven't been the same. However, this solo impromptu trip/walk to the museum - four minutes from my hotel was a pleasantly different experience in this time frame of dealing with my post injury symptoms that largely impact my experiences. The exhibition on display is-- Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey Diya, the museum educator (forgive me if this is not the correct title) was WONDERFUL to say the least in addition to one of the other Museum staff member (didn't catch his name with the yellow/red shirt) that pointed her out to me. - She was respectful, made known that she was available for any questions if I had and pointed out just a little. And I later made it known that although I did not have an specific questions: I was open to any of her knowledge. Which she had plenty! And asked me some thought-provoking questions on my perspective. It was an enjoyable experience. She enlightened me. And she's very respectful with other patrons as well. Definitely a gem! Hope she her more in the art world; the museum is lucky to have her on staff. - I may never experience art with the same intensity as before or the same capacity to observe things but Diya interactions with me made this experience a lovely one and added much more depth. - I went last Saturday a little before 4 and left a couple minutes before the museum closed at 5. You may need additional time, I did not - that is just me in this era of my life. Highly recommend it. Didn't look up any reviews prior or what exhibits that were going on but the one I saw - it's worthwhile. If you can handle spoilers, the artist medium is: gunpowder.

Beautiful museum. Not very big and an easy visit. Art displayed well. Family friendly

The USC Pacific Asian Museum has art collections from Asia and the Pacific Islands. Pro Tip: 2nd Sunday FREE!! I LOVE FREE!! In addition the 2nd Sundays will have activities featuring art making, live presentation of dance and music, and crafts and accessories. They have a small parking lot that was completely packed, but luckily my boyfriend is familiar with the area and he was able to seize street parking within walking distance of the museum. We started off walking around their permanent exhibits: Ceramic Galleries, Crossroads: Exploring the Silk Road, Art of East Asia, Dr. William W. M. Lo Chinese Art Gallery, Art of the Himalayas, Art of South and Southeast Asia, Art of Pacific Islands. There was this one photograph of a Buddha ice sculpture in ice that spoke to me. The melting of he ice back into the river was conceptually like reincarnation. From nothing to something then back into nothing, water into ice, then back into water. So deep! It also happened to be the very last day of the "Imprinting in Time - Chinese Printmaking at the Beginning of a New Era" exhibit. It was neat to see the printmaking of modern Chinese art and the not so low key propaganda behind some of these. Fascinatinggggggg... The museum is a quick visit. For museum lovers who linger, we only spent about an hour and a half here since there wasn't too much to look at compared to other museums. Nevertheless still a fun visit. Hopefully they can get some generous donors and more art pieces for their collection in the future.

I wished this museum was bigger! It's great for young children they had an area where kids can play music and use ancient calligraphy (sort of). I love that there is a museum dedicated to Asian culture...hopefully it'll expand more in the future! Def recommend if you're interested in Asian art!

It's pretty darn amazing considering the space they were given. You can tell they really want to share very specific cultures and perspectives. I'd love to see displays of Asian American culture.

The garden is beautiful but the rest of the museum was disappointing. A video about the atomic bomb and a few pieces of "modern art".

Free parking , $10 entrance fee & children under 17 is free , for students with Id $7 On Thursday is give what you wish day. Active military & veterans Free admission. Free for all Visitors the Second Sunday of the Month Closed Monday-Tuesday Photography There is no flash photography allowed in any of the galleries. Photos without a flash and for personal use are allowed in the permanent collections galleries. There is no photography of any kind allowed in the changing exhibition galleries. For commercial and wedding photography, please contact info@pam.usc.edu for availability and pricing.

ALL MONTH OF MAY IS FREE ADMISSION due to AAPI month and a very generous donor! We have been wanting to check out this place for awhile! It is a great museum with lots of interesting and educational art!! The courtyard itself is very artsy and representative. Fun for taking pics as well :0) Their bathrooms are really clean too! The employees are very friendly (including the security guard who told us to have a good day)!! They have a cute gift shop too with adorable & beautiful pictures on socks, adorable asian onesies for babies, and all sorts of other cool stuff! It was a great experience and I will definitely recommend to many people and return!

The beautiful inside court gives a charming and serene environment, and the permanent gallery offers a great but brief glimpse into the many cultures from Pacific Asia. Having its own parking spot so close is already a great sign every visit will be convenient, but frequent free Sundays make this the perfect place to swing by and catch the amazing work from the temporary exhibitions. This museum features Asian Americans doing their best expressive work from film to painting to crafts, and I think the recent years with the pandemic have given it more time to launch new and engaging art exhibits that feature a diverse group of artists. I've been to most museums and galleries in the LA area, but I can't help but keep coming back for more AAPI artwork. Often I find myself surprised by art installations that come and go!

Lovely staff. Excellent and interesting collection. Highly recommend. Spent a lovely afternoon there

Not a very large venue but a nice collection of Asian art, beautiful courtyard, and a very cool mix of products in the gift shop, probably the best representation of Asian cultures I've seen in one spot in the city!

Visited the museum during a Lunar New Years Celebration for the first time and we had a good time. Great friendly staff (including volunteers), clean, and decent amount of parking. The museum itself is not that great, but the art pieces were fun and educational to look at. Definitely worth checking out, and since it is near Old Town Pasadena you can check that out as well. Note: They do have a weekly free day, and currently I believe it is on Sundays (however check out their website beforehand to confirm it is still the case).

Visited the museum several years ago and was very impressed with the collection and atmosphere, so I deliberately returned to Pasadena to visit it today. Unfortunately, 90% of the museum space was turned over to a special exhibition of a contemporary abstract artist known for using gunpowder. Except for a few small pieces of traditional art in one small room and some traditional ceramics in a children's area, the wonderful collection was completely unavailable to see. I left feeling very disappointed. I knew the museum was presenting a special exhibition, but failed to understand that that was the only exhibition. Since I live 3000 miles away, I doubt I will make a return journey. My suggestion is that before visiting the museum, call and ask if what you are going to see there will actually be on display. It's also $20 for entry into the museum. Had I known, and if the person at the entry desk told me that it wasn't just one gallery but the entire museum for the special exhibition, I would have passed.

I attended the free Lunar New Year festivities, so the odds were against me from the start. The parking lot wasn't available due to programming & the overflow meant that there was no street parking either. The public lot across the street was absolutely traumatic -- itsy-bitsy lanes for what seemed like an endless line of giant SUVs. I drive a compact & turning around was nearly impossible. To be fair, this lot is not part of the museum, but when they use their own lot for programming & you have no choice ... it's something to know. My friends & I did try to go through the museum while the outdoor programing was going on (dragon dancers, drummers, etc.) but I was really very disappointed at the complete lack of signage. There was some sort of machine that looked like it was snatched from the island of Dr. Moreau. Someone nearby said, "What on Earth are we looking at??" If this were in a gallery, I would just shrug, but this is a museum, where we should be helped to learn. The garden was lovely, but the gallery rooms were quite small. Overall, it was a tremendous disappointment.

I was just at the museum and I will make a formal complaint on Monday I ordered some tickets online on Everbrite for an event for Dr Ling's exhibition and we were told the reservation was free but you had to pay admission it didn't say anywhere that you had to pay admission so we left my mom had to put a knee brace on in the garden the lady at the first desk followed us with security I felt that we were discriminated against because we were Hispanic I'm a Civil Rights Activist for Hispanic people and I will not tolerate this type of behavior from the museum. You will be hearing from my lawyer.

Not worth the $10 admission fee. I guess the $10 admission fee basically pays for the "free" parking. If it wasn't for the "free" parking, the admission should really be no more than $5. I finished the museum within 30 minutes. There really isn't much of a collection. You can see very similar things in other larger museums with an Asian section. Nothing impressive at all. The gift shop is cute, but it doesn't really carry much of anything that's related to the museum. Just an assortment of Asian-related stuff, like an upscale millennial Chinatown gift shop. After I was done, I walked a couple blocks down Colorado to grab a bite and a drink before leaving. Like I said, the admission fee is pretty much just paying for the parking.

Small museum with a garden and various artifacts in multiple rooms. Free parking for visitors. Like their gift shop. Very kind staff here.

It's a small museum but there's always something interesting or unusual that I see when I come here. The courtyard is relaxing. I took one QiGong class here. I hope they offer more classes like this. They offer different classes (calligraphy, etc) or workshops here from time to time. I bought something during a sale and didn't get a discount so I had to go back to the register to get that fixed.

No wonder why I never hear about this museum. There really isn't much of a collection. Just a few objects interspersed in approx. 4 rooms. Come here more simply for the architecture and design of this old Hollywood home. Sit in the courtyard with a nice latter from a nearby coffee shop and stare at the coi pond, walk around, up and down the stairs, imagining you own this house and thinking of the old spirits who inhabited it back in the early 1900s! Thats more of an experience than looking at their exhibits and artifacts, I promise!!

Made arrangements for a 3-hour work retreat and everyone we worked with was so helpful! We enjoyed the beautiful garden, borrowed a lovely conference room and got to explore part of the permanent collection. Our team admired the art and architecture, as well as the treasure that is Lorenzo, our amazing docent who took us on a tour!

This is a nice little museum. I came here for the Nick Dong's divine immersion exhibition. His artwork is pretty cool. The heaven room is pretty unique in the design. Definitely worth checking out. It's a very sensory experience. It's a pretty tranquil museum with a nice little patio in the middle with ponds filled with giant koi's.

My husband and I visited this Museum for the first time since the Pandemic and we were in for such a wonderful surprise! We were greeted by Evelyn, one of the nicest museum gift shop employees you'll ever meet. She's personable and the perfect face of this institution. The exhibitions themselves are new and exciting. They cover areas such as Bali, China, S. Korea, and many more. They are curated in a complete and fascinating way. I left wanting to know more about each country. And the courtyard. New, huge sofas and chairs. Plush. Beautiful koi. Architecture out of the 20's. I can hardly wait to return!

This museum has been closed for quite some time so I was glad they finally opened because I've never been here! They have their own parking lot which is free (YAY!). They are closed Mon and Tues but check this out, they are free on Thursdays from 5 to 8pm!! Basically this museum has art from Asia and the Pacific Island, but my favorite area is the courtyard. There is a koi pond and several areas to sit in the courtyard.

Admission to this small but unique museum is pretty cheap, but it's a particularly good value if you visit on free-for-all-visitors Thursdays from 5-8 pm or on the second Sunday of the month. The galleries enclose a quaint courtyard that takes you out of everyday Pasadena with koi ponds and stone statues. It was a lovely place in the evening. I most recently came to see the Oscar Oiwa exhibition. After seeing the exhibition, he is definitely a new favorite artist of mine. There is a little souvenir store which connects to the main permanent collection gallery. The parking lot can be a little confusing, depending on where you come from. I came from the 210 freeway so I had to make a loop around the block because there's no turning lane into the museum (just hold up traffic if you like, but I don't). Warning: tires may be damaged if you exit the wrong way.

Nice little museum for an intro to Asia Pacific cultures. Free parking available in lot next door.

This place is beautiful. I would love this art & artifacts in my home too. Luckily, they have a small store to take home replicas , and hand made arts.

Bad PR & people not doing their job, website doesn't say anything about being closed on Chinese New Year, it's closed when we got here. It should have been posted.

Had to come here for a class paper, first time here, it was nice, a bit small, there was alot of Buddhist and Hindu art and sculptures. They had an entire section dedicated to pottery. Enjoyed looking around at the different things they had. My favorite thing about this place was the open area in the center with a little pond trees and koi fish, it seemed like a chill spot to come and study. They offer free parking and have a gift shop with cool things. It's free for USC students staff and faculty and students from other schools get a discount.

Really rude service here. I came by to browse and they yelled at me!! Couldn't believe it. Needless to say, I immediately left. I don't want to give my business to a place like this.

I really like bringing my kids to this museum and I was so glad when it reopened. They have a nice permanent collection of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese art and other things like religious statutes, clothing, etc. Usually when we come, we go look at the temporary exhibit. The temporary exhibits are so interesting and different. Right now they are featuring Mexican artists who went to China and their artistic influence. If you go the second Sunday of the month it is free admission. Usually along with the free admission there are activities for the children like arts and crafts. Sometimes they have performances or movies. One time we went and the kids got to make some Indian themed shrink-I-dinks. Another time we watched a subtitled cartoon about the monkey king. The Lunar New Year celebration that they have is great too. It's held in the parking lot area. They have performances like singing and dancing and some food trucks. Parking lot is small but if it's full, it's not hard to find street parking.

Pacific Asia Museum is free the fourth Friday of every month. Here are future dates so you can put it in your calendar: August 24, 2012 September 28, 2012 October 26, 2012 WEBSITE: http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org ADMISSION INFO: $9.00 for General Admission $7.00 for Students & Seniors Free for Children Ages 11 & under HOURS: Wednesday through Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. SUMMARY OF MY VISIT: Stephanie C., our Yelp intern for L.A. East, posted an event to let us know that every fourth Friday is free, so I decided to go last Friday with my teenage son. I wanted to go to this museum for years and hearing that it was free was all the incentive I needed. I was very impressed with the current collection because there were many exhibits (see below) in addition to permanent exhibits as follows: Gallery for The Art of Asia, The Gallery of Korean Art, The Gallery of Himalayan Art, Art of the Pacific Islands, and many others. PROS: Parking is free in their lot on the corner of Los Robles Avenue and Union Street, directly north of the museum. It is not a large lot. EXHIBITS AS FOLLOWS: Masterpieces of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi until August 12, 2012 There is approximately 100 woodblock prints on paper. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=SQItQdWuppXR7jKHaV6l-Q&userid=o8Lo2pvM19nyYPBBycgSVg Kimono in the 20th Century until March 10, 2013. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=rTXkcH-Rp36J8FErUMfypQ&userid=o8Lo2pvM19nyYPBBycgSVg Gajin Fujita: Ukiyo-e in Contemporary Painting CONS: They do not provide a map which would have been nice. They basically just tell you when you walk through the front door that you are on your own to go through the galleries. I think a map, audio tour or docent led tour would have been a nice touch and that is why I am taking one star off. Yes, I know it was free, but I am sure they could get many people who would love to volunteer to do this, especially for kids who walk in. I would volunteer to do this.

Small but nice museum of Asian History & Art. I kind of wanted to see some Filipino pieces, but the Pacific Islands were grouped together as one. Not a huge deal. Still a very nice experience. And the front quad is very nice--instagrammable worthy. They also have a cute gift shop.

The museum: Good collection of Asian art works and "treasures". Very informative and educational. Very small museum compared to other museums in LA. Admission: $15. The Parking: Private lot (FREE) or Street metered parking

What a hidden gem in Pasadena. This is a small albeit great museum tucked near old town pasadena. Love that they have their own parking lot and especially love the peaceful garden with the koi pond. The collection spans Asia pacific islands, China, Japan, India and so much more. You can spend an hour here looking at all the art and sculptures. It's free every second Sunday and it's free for all usc students and staff (yay!!).

This charming boutique museum will only require an hour to enjoy all of its delights. It has a nice collection of Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Pacific island articles. Their museum store is well stocked with a wide variety of very unique items. Parking is ample and free, and the entry fee is kind to your budget. You will spend a most enjoyable hour or two here. https://pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

What a charming, nice place! Once you enter, you feel like you're in another world! We enjoyed our visit here, the building that hosts it is beautiful, it was donated to the city of Pasadena along with a private collection of Asian Art. The collection is impressive, not huge, but bigger than I thought, they also had great temporary exhibits. It's a very relaxing, calm place, perfect for a hot summer day. We learned a lot and it was very pleasant walking around their outdoor area, they have a beautiful courtyard with a nice pond. Open 10 am- 6 pm, Wed- Sunday They have their own parking lot, where you can park for free. They also have a free day - the 4th Friday of every month and they organize cool events (like Fusion Fridays), check their site for updates. So, take advantage. We had a great experience visiting this nice museum. Another great find in LA.

We came on the second Sunday of the month, Which I found out is free admission day. We walked into the Courtyard which is filled with Chinese inspired architecture, koi ponds, and zen statues. There was a live performance happening of Asian Indian music, and the entire feel of the area was just beautiful and otherworldly. We started the museum on the right building and made our way around. My favorite exhibit was the silk road exhibits. It was very interesting to see the way business was conducted back then with the merchants and tradesmen. The blending and fusion of the East Asian and central Asian cultures was fascinating.The museum is a Tad bit small but for being free that day, it is definitely worth it. I don't think I would pay for admission, but if you can go on the free day, do so!

Beautiful collection, beautiful courtyard!!! Thoroughly enjoyed my visit!!! I viewed the latest exhibition with Kabuki art. I also enjoyed how the art collections have been divided into regions and/or countries. The signage was all very clear and informative.

Very nice calm small museum. I've driven by it numerous occasions not knowing what it was, just thought the silhouette paintings on the side of the building was very cool. (By the parking lot) the entrance looks cool and I like the koi pond area but it would have been better if there were koi... I love the interactive ikko tanaka magnets and the cool calligraphy brush and stamp rubbing with charcoal. Wouldn't mind returning. $10 for adults and $7 for students!

Came here for the first time last weekend. They have free admission every second Sunday of the month! This is a pretty tiny museum. My bf and I got in and out within 30-ish minutes. It's basically a giant square with an outdoor courtyard in the middle. I liked that they had different areas focusing on the different regions of Asia. Granted, some areas were VERY small, but it was really cool seeing art from various countries. I have been to a few Asian countries and it was cool seeing the resemblances...and differences in their art. They had a special exhibit in the last area of the museum that was Hispanic-Asian fusion art. Overall, nice place to visit and walk around to learn a little about Asian art. Not sure I would pay $15 to go, though.

Accommodating. Enduring. Orderly. Exquisite. These are some of the words used to describe our less-than-half visit experience.... We didn't get to go inside the museum proper but we did have plenty of time waiting for the TV crew to finish their courtyard shot so we could enter the breeze way bordering the courtyard and loiter to our heart's content. Allegedly, they were shooting a pilot for "Journey to the East" that would be in both English and Mandarin. For some reason, the museum and the museum store both prohibit food, drink, and flash photography. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Stretch and reach for the stars! That's just what you will be able to do after taking a well-taught yoga class at the Pacific Asia Museum. Never before have I been interested in yoga, as I assumed it was a waste of time, but after taking this class, I have a newfound respect for yoga. In addition, my first class was free because I mentioned I am a Yelp member. Being a Yelp member certainly has its privileges! The free class is a one-time incentive for Yelp members, so I highly recommend this be taken advantage of, as I'm not sure when this exclusive privilege will last. Jill, the knowledgeable and very patient instructor, is so friendly and welcoming. She knew this was my first yoga class and she gave me, and other newcomers, close attention during the class. Jill even provided me with a mat and blanket for use during the class. Also, since I lift weights regularly, certainly muscle groups wouldn't allow me to easily do some of the yoga exercises, so Jill suggested alternatives. This lady is truly amazing with yoga and has the utmost patience. I recommend this yoga class because it's only for an hour and you leave feeling reinvigorated. This class is held in the auditorium of the museum, so after yoga you may want to explore the museum itself. The parking is free and as for regular pricing for the yoga classes, I've been told $10 per class, $45 for 5-weeks (once a week), or $80 for 10-weeks (once a week) classes. I'm looking forward to going back for more yoga!

What fun it was to see the grand reopening of this museum. Much larger than I remembered. It could be that absence made the heart grow fonder. I enjoyed the unusual drums, the Chinese Mexican mural, the jade, the art. The courtyard is a nice place to rest as well, in between exhibits. There is parking next to the museum. Be sure to pick up a calendar of events. Gift shop wasn't open yet. There's many family friendly, kid-friendly events.

A wonderful collection housed in the historic Grace Nicholson Mansion. It appears to be an ancient Chinese home with titled roof and a beautiful courtyard with a koi pond. It is not huge or "elegant" so if you go in with more humble expectations you'll enjoy your visit. They also have online viewing of their exhibit and of former exhibits. See my photos for exhibits and the garden. PLUSES: Wonderful collection (the Buddhas have perfect lighting). Sweet garden Air conditioned. Small but fascinating gift store. Reciprocity with Asian Art Museum- as contributing members we got in free. Free parking. You get a token once you've paid your admission. Minuses: None. May not impress folks expecting something grandiose.

Just took the kiddie to the monthly second Sunday free admission and storytime. USC Pacific Asia Museum is a compact but beautifully maintained space, complete with an Asian-themed courtyard, an auditorium upstairs, and a tucked away space called Silk Road where the storytime took place. There are two storytime slots- 10:30am and 11:30am - and only on free admission days every second Sunday. Afterwards there is a craft table set up in the courtyard where kids can do a quick project (such as the crepe paper flower today) to take home. This is a great place to spend a relaxing Sunday morning and a wonderful way to introduce young kids to some Asian arts and culture! Make sure to check out the current permanent collection as well as check back for when their new exhibit will debut. A docent said that they are bringing in a large (6ft?) Buddha carved from wood sometime in the summer. Will be back for more events at this little urban cultural oasis!

This museum exhibits works from all of Asia and the Pacific Islands: Japan, India, South Korea, New Guinea... My favorite piece in the permanent collection is Katsushika Hokusai's majestic and defiant "Eagle in a Snowstorm." http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/japanesepaintings/images/popuplarge/2_3a.jpg Hokusai signed it "old man crazy about painting, age 88 years." How cool that a senior citizen created a work of such power and precision. This will always be my favorite small museum because my husband and I got married in the lovely courtyard garden. There's a neat little koi pond, and the building is inspired by the architecture of the Qing dynasty. The staff were really easy to work with, and our wedding guests raved about the galleries. Renting the courtyard wasn't crazy expensive either -- check the website for current rates: http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/ By the way, there's free admission the 4th Friday of the month. .

Beautiful place in the hart of pasadena kids love it. Is always fun to learn chinise culture.

Came here for free museum admission day 2015. I was worried I wasn't going to find any parking because from looks of things, it looked packed! Do you blame them? It's free admission day! Luckily found parking along a one hour street parking. The museum itself is totally walkable, but totally suggest to take your time. They have a beautiful koi pond and small garden around the entrance. The museum carries a lot of beautiful art pieces from artifacts to paintings and clay pieces that depict an entire storyline of a play. This was the highlight of the day. I would consider coming back another day, even if it weren't a "free" admission day!