National Museum of Asian Art Events Calendar

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Early Spring

Films In his first film after the commercial and critical success of Tokyo Story, director Yasujirō Ozu examines life in postwar Japan through the eyes of a young salaryman. Dissatisfied with career and marriage, office worker Shoji Sugiyama begins an affair with a flirtatious co-worker, and he and his wife grow estranged. The film adeptly depicts “the claustrophobia of office life” as “Ozu finds dramatic depths in quiet, ordinary lives” (The New York Times). Description adapted from Janus Films. Director: Yasujirō Ozu. Country: Japan. Released: 1956. Length: 145 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Janus Films. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://nmaamatinees.eventive.org/schedule/694972e549fb56a847faf44b. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices. Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, May 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, May 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 15, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Conservation Cart Talk | Paper Repairs

Lectures & Discussions Paper tears easily—especially paper that's decades or even centuries old. Meet paper conservator Rhea DeStefano and learn how she repairs damaged paper in our collections. Try out using a water pen to shape a “fill,” a piece of paper used to fill in a torn edge or hole. You can also explore the papers, tools, and adhesives Rhea uses in repair treatments. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 1. Cost: Free. Register in advance (optional). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987634542422?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Demonstrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Friday, May 15, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 15, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 16, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 16, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Highlights Tour in Mandarin 館藏精華導覽

Gallery Talks & Tours Join free walk-in tours in Mandarin. These one-hour, docent-led tours feature highlights from the museum’s collections, including the famous Peacock Room and select masterpieces of Chinese art. Each docent chooses an artwork to present in their own way, so you can learn something new every time. No registration is needed. 國立亞洲藝術博物館邀請您參加免費普通話導覽（無需預約）在一小時的導覽中，我們的講解員將帶您聚焦博物館中的精華，包括舉世聞名的孔雀廳和精選的中國藝術品。每場導覽都是獨一無二的，讓您每次對藝術品都能有不同的了解。 Image credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1915.103a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art) information desk 西樓（佛利爾美術館）咨詢臺. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, May 18, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Monday, May 18, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, May 18, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Sneak Peek | Marine Predators in Prehistoric Japan's Worldview

Lectures & Discussions Prehistoric shell midden sites along the Japanese coasts provide a treasure trove of information for archaeologists. The conditions are excellent for the preservation of organic materials, such as artefacts, animals, and plants that include subsistence resources, as well as buried human remains. The data from excavations offers a peek into the fascinating life of prehistoric fishermen, including their tragedies and perils. This presentation focuses on two of the potentially most dangerous marine species: sharks and the cone sea snail, a small but highly venomous invertebrate. Their representation in material culture indicates that both species also played an important symbolic role. Shark teeth (fossilized teeth of megalodons and other contemporaneous species) were fashioned into amulets and ritual adornments. Perhaps surprisingly, so were cone snail shells. Archaeology tells us more about their role in prehistoric life and society—even if the lack of written texts prevents us from grasping their full me… Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zwkjd0lGTJG3Ia9TFiffzQ. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Captioning. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Virtual Tour | Religious Art Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Explore artwork from the major religious traditions and philosophies that originated in Asia such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Learn about traditions and devotional practices central to each and how they’ve been practiced in different regions. In this virtual tour, you’ll examine religious imagery, devotional sculptures, and sacred ritual objects across mediums such as paintings, ceramics, and metalwork. Seated Ganesha; India, Karnataka state, Halebidu, 12th–13th century; chloritic schist; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Sackler Collection, Gift of Arthur M. Sackler, S1987.960. Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TFEiWHdAQW2fATXYv8rd4w. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Webcasts & Online. Related Exhibition: The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas. Accessibility: Captioning. Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

CANCELLED - Curator Tour | Of the Hills

Gallery Talks & Tours This tour has been rescheduled to Friday, May 22. In this tour exploring Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms, curator Debra Diamond reveals the ways that virtuoso Pahari artists riffed off inherited traditions to convey awe and affection. Please meet at gallery 23 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Image: Attributed to the Early Mandi Master; Wedding Ceremony, folio from a Ramayana; India, Himachal Pradesh state, Mandi, ca. 1640–50; opaque watercolor and gold on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F2017.13.2. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 23 & 24. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Peacock Room Shutters Open

Third Thursday of every month. Free, no registration required. See the Peacock Room in a whole new light! Please join us for a beloved NMAA tradition: our third Thursday opening of the Peacock Room shutters. Experience this unique masterwork of art and design in a whole new way as natural light reveals details of James McNeill Whistler's painted interior and accents the gleaming surfaces of Charles Lang Freer's collection of Asian ceramics. The shutters are open from noon to 5:30 p.m. every third Thursday of each month. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Freer gallery 12 (Peacock Room). Cost: Free. Categories: Demonstrations. Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 21, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Curator Tour | Of the Hills

Gallery Talks & Tours In this tour exploring Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms, curator Debra Diamond reveals the ways that virtuoso Pahari artists riffed off inherited traditions to convey awe and affection. Please meet at gallery 23 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Image: Attributed to the Early Mandi Master; Wedding Ceremony, folio from a Ramayana; India, Himachal Pradesh state, Mandi, ca. 1640–50; opaque watercolor and gold on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F2017.13.2. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 23 & 24. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988324765899?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, May 22, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

IlluminAsia | Bruce Lee Night with Jeff Chang and DJ 2-Tone of Shaolin Jazz

Lectures & Discussions Register in advance to get the best experience. On the evening of the event, join the standby line for remaining seats. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis for patrons without tickets. A story about Bruce Lee is a story about Asian America. Celebrate this global icon with an evening of literature, film, and music to kick off our IlluminAsia BookCon for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. First, Jeff Chang discusses his new book, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, with Theo Gonzalves, curator at the National Museum of American History. Purchase a copy and get it signed before the talk. Then, catch a film screening of The Big Boss accompanied live by DJ 2-Tone Jones in another of Shaolin Jazz’s popular Can I Kick It? events. This time he spins with the film that proved to be Bruce Lee’s big breakthrough, launching him to instant superstardom and setting a new standard for kung fu heroics. 5 p.m.: Book sales start 6 p.m.: Book… Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Event Location: West Building. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminasia-bruce-lee-night-with-jeff-chang-and-dj-2-tone-of-shaolin-jazz-tickets-1987695823716?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Shopping/Book Signing. Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 22, 2026, 5:00 PM – 9:15 PM.

IlluminAsia | Children's Book Fair

Kids and Family Register in advance to make sure you get the best experience. Activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring the kids for book readings, hands-on crafts, and giveaways from an all-star lineup of authors and illustrators. Plus, you can purchase books from the museum store and get them signed! This event is part of our IlluminAsia Book Con, celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Featured Authors and Illustrators: Inspired by her first teacher at the refugee camp, Hanh Bui pursued a master’s degree in early childhood education and taught second grade before becoming a children’s book author. Hanh’s stories are inspired by her Vietnamese heritage and refugee experiences. She serves as cochair of the Equity and Inclusion Team for the Mid-Atlantic region of SCBWI and as a member of Diverse Verse and Reading Is Fundamental of Northern Virginia’s Authors in Schools Program. She is the author of The Yellow Áo Dài, Ánh's New Word,… Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 27. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminasia-childrens-book-fair-tickets-1987537309596?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Shopping/Book Signing. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

IlluminAsia | BookCon Fair and Disco

Lectures & Discussions Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander authors and stories with the book fair of your dreams! All day long, browse books curated by the Asian American Book Club. Enjoy live discussions, signings, and workshops with authors in all kinds of genres, from cookbooks and comics to Asian American history. Then stick around for an afterhours disco dance party with DJ MAIYA! Come dressed as your favorite literary character (masks not allowed). Snacks and drinks available for purchase. Bring the kids early for our children's book fair in the morning. Children's Book Fair 11 a.m.–1 p.m. East Building, Gallery 27 Book Fair 1:30–5:30 p.m. East Building, Gallery 27 and Museum Store West Building, South Corridor KYRU Matcha Pop-Up 12–5 p.m. West Building Courtyard Author Panel Discussions and Signings 12:30–4:30 p.m. West Building, Meyer Auditorium and South Corridor The Future of Asian America 1 p.m. Neil Ruiz, head of new research initiatives at Pew Research Center , Helen Zia, activist,… Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Freer Gallery of Art, Freer Plaza, Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminasia-bookcon-fair-and-disco-tickets-1987653866220?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Kids & Families. Shopping/Book Signing. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. ASL-interpreted program. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 24, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, May 24, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 24, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 24, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 24, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, May 25, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Monday, May 25, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, May 25, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Curator Tour | Of the Hills

Gallery Talks & Tours In this tour exploring Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms, conservator Kesha Talbert and curator Debra Diamond explore Pahari pigments and the aesthetics of shine. Get exclusive insights into the use of Indian yellow, beetle wings, and surface effects in Pahari paintings from India’s Himalayan kingdoms. Please meet at gallery 23 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Attributed to Kripal (act. 1660–90); The Goddess Worshiped by the Sage Chyavana from a Tantric Devi series; India, Punjab Hills, Jammu and Kashmir, Basohli, ca. 1660–70; opaque watercolor on paper, gold, silver, and beetle wing; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1997.8. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Event Location: Gallery 23 & 24. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1984086293514?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Crafting Culture: Hands-On Korean Craft Workshop

Workshops Seating is limited. You must register in advance. Explore traditional Korean crafting materials, symbolism, and techniques through hands-on activities. Make your own jangmyeongru, a braided bracelet symbolizing health and protection. Learn about bojagi fabric wrapping and its expressiveness, and browse different fabrics, colors, and patterns. Practice six traditional bojagi fabric wrapping techniques, and experiment to create your own wrapping style. You can even try on traditional Korean hanbok clothing (optional). , About the Instructor and Crafts Youngjae Kim is a former senior curator at the National Folk Museum of Korea with over 20 years of experience in Korean traditional attire and cultural heritage. She currently leads research and cultural programs through the Hansan Research Institute. Jangmyeongru (장명루) This five-colored braided bracelet symbolizes health, protection, and longevity. Participants will create their own bracelet that integrates this traditional color symbolism. Bojagi (보자기), … Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 27. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988409920599?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 28, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 29, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, May 29, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, May 29, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 29, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 29, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 29, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Devi

Films 4K Restoration! Master filmmaker Satyajit Ray explores the conflict between fanaticism and free will in Devi. In turn, he issues a subversively modern challenge to religious orthodoxy and patriarchal power structures. In rural India in the second half of the nineteenth century, a wealthy feudal landlord (Chhabi Biswas) is seized by the notion that his beloved daughter-in-law (a hauntingly sad-eyed Sharmila Tagore) is an incarnation of the Mother Goddess. This delusion proves devastating to the young woman and those around her. The elegantly stylized compositions and the chiaroscuro lighting by cinematographer Subrata Mitra heighten the expressionistic intensity of this domestic tragedy, making for an experience that is both sublime and shattering. Description adapted from Janus Films. Director: Satyajit Ray. Country: India. Released: 1960. Length: 99 min. Format: DCP, B&W. Language: Bengali with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Janus Films. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://ray4k.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Captioning. Friday, May 29, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:45 PM.

Art Guardians | Family Workshop: The Missing Piece

Kids and Family Grab your tools and fix a broken object like a real art conservator! Designed for kids ages 6–11 and their caregivers, this workshop invites families to repair damaged pottery using kid-friendly materials. Fix a missing section of your provided piece of pottery while discussing an essential question: Should repairs disappear, stay subtle, or be easy to spot? Then, look closely at artworks in Engaging the Senses: Arts of the Islamic World. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: ImaginAsia Studio. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987630264627?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Related Exhibition: Engaging the Senses: Arts of the Islamic World. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Art Guardians | Family Workshop: The Missing Piece

Kids and Family Grab your tools and fix a broken object like a real art conservator! Designed for kids ages 6–11 and their caregivers, this workshop invites families to repair damaged pottery using kid-friendly materials. Fix a missing section of your provided piece of pottery while discussing an essential question: Should repairs disappear, stay subtle, or be easy to spot? Then, look closely at artworks in Engaging the Senses: Arts of the Islamic World. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: ImaginAsia Studio. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987630264627?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Kids & Families. Workshops. Related Exhibition: Engaging the Senses: Arts of the Islamic World. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, May 30, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Days and Nights in the Forest

Films 4K Restoration! Watch the Trailer Adapted from Sunil Gangopadhyay’s celebrated 1968 novel, Days and Nights in the Forest is a modern search for connection that conjures the timeless resonance of a folktale. Desperate to flee Calcutta’s rat race, four young men drive to Palamu, one of India’s rural “tribal lands.” Despite vowing to get away from it all, the crew soon mixes with the locals. Through these relationships, Ray touches on masculine vulnerabilities and Indian class divisions with the graceful complexity of a master at his peak. Meanwhile, longtime cinematographer Soumendu Roy delivers these characters through lavish images. Description adapted from Janus Films. Director: Satyajit Ray. Country: India. Released: 1970. Length: 116 min. Format: DCP, B&W. Language: Bengali with English subtitles. Restored in 4K in 2025 by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Janus Films – The Criterion Collection at L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory, from the… Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://ray4k.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, May 31, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 1, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Monday, June 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 1, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Virtual Tour | Hokusai and the Art of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is widely recognized for a single image—Under the Wave off Kanagawa, an icon of global art—yet he produced thousands of works throughout his long life. On this virtual tour, explore featured works from the world’s largest collection of paintings, sketches, and drawings by Hokusai, both large and small, from six-panel folding screens and hanging scrolls to paintings and drawings. Together, these works reveal an artistic genius who thought he might finally achieve true mastery in painting—if he lived to the age of 110. Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760–1849); The Sazaidō of the Gohyakurakan-ji, from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei); Edo period, ca. 1830–1831; ink and color on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of the family of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer, F1974.63. Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XVu_By6dQoGhnZP7eQCv3A. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Captioning. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Curator Tour | Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Get an exclusive tour of Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean with curator Emma Natalya Stein and view the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia. Before the tour, enjoy a dance offering by Simi Mohanty, a Northern Virginia–based practitioner of Odissi for over fifteen years. Rooted in India’s temple traditions, Odissi offers a devotional vocabulary long associated with Vishnu. Crafted one thousand years ago in the city of Angkor, this sculpture embodies the Hindu god Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into the bronze’s original island-like temple and water’s cultural importance. Meet the present-day Cambodian community and explore the landscape in the exclusive accompanying film. Please meet at gallery 22 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photo by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni… Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988317162156?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 5, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, June 5, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, June 5, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 5, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 5, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 5, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Highlights Tour in Mandarin 館藏精華導覽

Gallery Talks & Tours Join free walk-in tours in Mandarin. These one-hour, docent-led tours feature highlights from the museum’s collections, including the famous Peacock Room and select masterpieces of Chinese art. Each tour is unique, so you can learn something new every time. No registration is needed. 國立亞洲藝術博物館邀請您參加免費普通話導覽（無需預約）在一小時的導覽中，我們的講解員將帶您聚焦博物館中的精華，包括舉世聞名的孔雀廳和精選的中國藝術品。每場導覽都是獨一無二的，讓您每次對藝術品都能有不同的了解。 Image credit: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1915.103a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art) information desk 西樓（佛利爾美術館）咨詢臺. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Intro to Hindustani Drawing Workshop

Workshops Seating is limited. You must register in advance. Learn about the materials, techniques, and imagery of Hindustani drawings with two artists traditionally trained in Pakistan and India respectively, Murad Khan Mumtaz and Manish Soni. This workshop highlights the expressive value of line through masterworks on view in Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms. Practice preparing paper and pigments as well as the fundamentals of drawing technique. Then try siyah qalam brush and ink rendering. This technique is the backbone for making and understanding Mughal, Rajput, and Pahari paintings as well as an art form in itself. We supply all materials, including traditional squirrel hairbrushes, pigments, and paper. Want to learn more about the master artists teaching the course? Watch the short films Portrait of a Cloud and Musavari: Colors of Tradition. About Murad Khan Mumtaz Murad Khan Mumtaz is a US-based Pakistani artist and scholar. He graduated with an MFA from Columbia University in… Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: ImaginAsia Studio. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988767270442?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

CANCELLED - Sketch & Discover Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours Join docent Sushmita Mazumdar every first Sunday of the month as she guides you to use pencil and paper to consider the unique ideas and expressions of Asian artists from various traditions spanning the continent across centuries. All materials will be provided. No reservation needed. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 7, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 8, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Monday, June 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 8, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster

Films After laying waste to an alien civilization on Venus, the three-headed, lightning-emitting space monster Ghidorah brings its insatiable thirst for destruction to Earth. The monstrous foes Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra must join forces in order to deal with the unprecedented threat. An electrifying screen debut for Godzilla’s archenemy Ghidorah, this film also marks a turning point for the series—for the first time, the King of the Monsters acts to protect the planet. Description adapted from Janus Films. Director: Ishirō Honda. Country: Japan. Released: 1964. Length: 92 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Janus Films. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://nmaamatinees.eventive.org/schedule/6949762530ce9578cb604536. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Captioning. Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:45 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 11, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, June 11, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 11, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 11, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 11, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 12, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, June 12, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, June 12, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 12, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 12, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Hands-On Conservation

Gallery Talks & Tours Explore conservation for yourself at our pop-up cart! Touch and see the tools and materials we use to preserve art, manuscripts, and other historic objects. Check out fluorescent glue samples, paper and brushes used for scroll mounting, and more. This is your chance to get a peek at what our conservators and scientists are up to behind the scenes. Department of Conservation and Scientific Research, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Event Location: West Building (Mall Entrance). Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Friday, June 12, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 12, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Sunday, June 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 14, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 14, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Sunday, June 14, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Monday, June 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 15, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Virtual Tour | Hokusai and the Art of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is widely recognized for a single image—Under the Wave off Kanagawa, an icon of global art—yet he produced thousands of works throughout his long life. On this virtual tour, explore featured works from the world’s largest collection of paintings, sketches, and drawings by Hokusai, both large and small, from six-panel folding screens and hanging scrolls to paintings and drawings. Together, these works reveal an artistic genius who thought he might finally achieve true mastery in painting—if he lived to the age of 110. Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760–1849); The Sazaidō of the Gohyakurakan-ji, from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei); Edo period, ca. 1830–1831; ink and color on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of the family of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer, F1974.63. Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KpRTk6DOTaGRBAJTZnXwzQ. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Captioning. Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Peacock Room Shutters Open

Third Thursday of every month. Free, no registration required. See the Peacock Room in a whole new light! Please join us for a beloved NMAA tradition: our third Thursday opening of the Peacock Room shutters. Experience this unique masterwork of art and design in a whole new way as natural light reveals details of James McNeill Whistler's painted interior and accents the gleaming surfaces of Charles Lang Freer's collection of Asian ceramics. The shutters are open from noon to 5:30 p.m. every third Thursday of each month. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Freer gallery 12 (Peacock Room). Cost: Free. Categories: Demonstrations. Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM.

Tours | Arts of Japan

Gallery Talks & Tours As the seasons change, enjoy a free, hour-long guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of Japanese art. Experience a variety of artworks, including paintings, prints, screens, ceramics, metalwork, and more. Trees, Master of I-nen Seal (1600–1630), Japan, mid-17th century, ink, color, and gold on paper, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1962.30. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Japanese Art from the Collection , Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea , The Print Generation , The Peacock Room , Striking Objects: Contemporary Japanese Metalwork. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 18, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.

Tours | Arts of China

Gallery Talks & Tours Examine the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of one of the world’s oldest civilizations in this in-person, docent-led tour. Learn about Chinese artworks such as ritual bronze vessels, calligraphy, brush paintings in ink and color, and exquisite ceramics. Please meet at the West Building Information Desk for the tour. Dish with foliate flaring rim; Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426–35; Jingdezhen ware; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; H x Diam: 4.8 × 21.3 cm; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1951.13a-b. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Workshops Register to join the sessions. Join a free online guided meditation. In these 30-minute sessions, DC-based meditation teachers lead a variety of mindfulness practices. Friday sessions take inspiration from art in our museum’s collections. All are welcome! No previous experience is required. Image: Katsushika Hokusai / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.269. Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/ymJH4SNfSjKwSlHROFxfyw. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online). Friday, June 19, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.

Permanent Collection Tour

Gallery Talks & Tours The National Museum of Asian Art has over 46,000 artworks from across Asia. Enjoy some of the finest on a docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Friday, June 19, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. For more info visit asia.si.edu.

Tours | Arts Across Asia

Gallery Talks & Tours Enjoy a guided tour of our East Building and its range of exhibitions. These tours can feature art from any of the exhibitions currently on view, with works from cultures as diverse as ancient Iran to contemporary Japan. Please meet at the East Building, B1 Lobby for the tour. Image: Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, Photo by John Bigelow Taylor. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Tour | The Peacock Room at 150

Gallery Talks & Tours Learn how a dining room built in London 150 years ago has become one of the most famous artworks in the United States today. This free guided tour closely examines American artist James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room, inspired by Asian art and decorated with Chinese blue and white porcelain. James McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903); Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room (detail); United Kingdom, 1876–77; room installation, oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, mosaic tile, glass, and wood; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.61. Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meet at Information Desk. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 19, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.

Spotlight Talk: Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean

Gallery Talks & Tours Catch a twenty-minute gallery talk about the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia in Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. At nearly twenty feet, this newly conserved sculpture depicts Vishnu dreaming the universe into existence. Delve into its original context in ancient Angkor and the present-day Cambodian community. Composite image: (top) Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One); Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of 11th century; bronze, mercury gilding; National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh; Photograph by Mario Ciampi, ©️ Guicciardini & Magni Architetti / (bottom) Still from the short film Awkun; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Film by praCh Ly. Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 22c. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, June 19, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM.