The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums devoted to the arts and cultures of Asia. Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Center, the museum has a collection of over 18,000 works of art from throughout Asia. The museum is housed in a landmark building designed by famous architect Gae Aulenti and opened in 2003.
The museum occupies a full city block and has six floors of galleries with more than 50,000 square feet of exhibition space. It is home to one of the most significant collections of Asian art outside Asia including works from ancient China, India, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Islamic world. Highlights include exceptional pieces from Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868), Chinese jades spanning two millennia, masterpieces from India’s Mughal court painters (16th–19th centuries), and Buddhist sculptures from Southeast Asia.
The Asian Art Museum also hosts a variety of public programs including lectures, performances, workshops for all ages, film screenings, concerts, artist talks and gallery tours. Its education program provides resources for students and teachers interested in learning about Asian cultures. The museum also offers an online collection with over 7500 objects which can be explored through virtual tours or by searching its database.
The museum also boasts an impressive restaurant—the Garden Court—which serves contemporary Asian cuisine inspired by recipes from across the continent. The café offers light snacks as well as beer and wine throughout the day.
In addition to its permanent collection, the Asian Art Museum features temporary exhibitions which rotate regularly throughout the year. These exhibitions often showcase works that are rarely seen outside their countries of origin or explore works that have not been exhibited before in North America.
The Asian Art Museum is truly an impressive institution that provides visitors with an opportunity to explore some of Asia’s greatest artistic achievements all under one roof! With its immense size and wide-ranging collections it is easy to see why it’s considered one of San Francisco’s leading cultural attractions!
Conclusion: The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is a huge cultural attraction with over 50 000 square feet of exhibition space dedicated to showcasing artworks from across Asia over two millenia! With its range of public programs as well as its restaurant offering contemporary cuisine inspired by recipes from across the continent it is easy to see why this institution continues to be so popular!