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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, March 7, 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, March 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.
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Vishnu's Cosmic Ocean: Blessing Ceremony
Workshops
Join us for a communal blessing ceremony for the exhibition Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean. Led by monks from the Cambodian Buddhist temple Watt Buddhacheya Mongkol in Woodbridge, Virginia, the ceremony uses practices such as chanting, sprinkling water, and specific hand gestures to confer protection and good luck. Afterward, experience the exhibition and meet curator Emma Natalya Stein.
Cambodian-inspired refreshments will be provided by Oh Graze Away and Little Lana’s Cookies.
Due to high interest in this program, we will plan for an overflow space with a livestream in the S1 Lobby. Entry into gallery 27 will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Once gallery 27 is full, we will direct guests to the overflow area. After the blessing, guests will flow through the gallΩery to meet the monks and receive their bracelets.
Additionally, offered refreshments will only be available in gallery 27. You can eat and drink only in gallery 27—do not take refreshments out of that space. Image provided by Watt…
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/1982199721727?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 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.
Saturday, March 7, 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.
Sunday, March 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.
Sunday, March 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Magellan
Films
Watch the Trailer
In this historical drama, acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz retells the story of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s 16th-century voyage to Southeast Asia. But this retelling radically upends traditional European narratives of conquest.
Diaz foregrounds the stories of the people Magellan sought to colonize—especially his personal slave, a Malay named Enrique. The film reveals how Magellan’s obsession with power led to mutiny, rebellion, and ultimately an apocalyptic clash between two societies previously unknown to each other.
Meanwhile, this tale of human strife contrasts with “visually intoxicating, at times gasp-out-loud ravishing” cinematography (The New York Times) as Diaz highlights the otherworldly beauty of the Malay Archipelago.
Intended for mature audiences.
Director: Lav Diaz. Regions: Portugal, Spain, Philippines, France, Taiwan. Released: 2025. Length: 163 min. Format: DCP. Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, Cebuano, and French with English subtitles. Image…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://icymi.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Captioning. Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, March 8, 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, March 8, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 9, 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, March 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, March 9, 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.
Monday, March 9, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Unpacking Provenance | A Himalayan Phurba
Lectures & Discussions
In this webinar, a panel of four experts discusses a Himalayan phurba, a ceremonial dagger in the collections of the Ethnologisches Museum (Ethnological Museum) in Berlin. The phurba left the Himalayan region and entered a private collection in Germany at an unknown point in time and was sold to the museum in 1931 by its previous owner. Panelists will consider questions about and approaches to researching its origin, its journey, and its significance within spiritual traditions of the Himalayan region.
The online series Unpacking Provenance: Retracing the Histories of Asian Art brings together cross-disciplinary specialists to discuss provenance research processes and share resources. Discussions focus on a single object, exploring a variety of innovative, strategic, and collaborative approaches to inquiry.
Unpacking Provenance is part of a larger collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz that seeks to cultivate the global network of provenance researchers…
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kA35g5nGTqCyt1OmIiE_Vg. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM.
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, March 10, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, March 10, 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, March 10, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 10, 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.
Tuesday, March 10, 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, March 11, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Lady Snowblood
Films
Gory revenge is raised to the level of visual poetry in Toshiya Fujita’s stunning Lady Snowblood, set in late nineteenth-century Japan. A major inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill saga, this endlessly inventive film charts a young woman’s single-minded path of vengeance after her parents die at the hands of a gang of brutal criminals. Fujita creates a wildly entertaining action film of remarkable craft—an effortless balancing act between beauty and violence. Description adapted from Janus Films.
Director: Toshiya Fujita. Country: Japan. Released: 1973. Length: 97 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/6949664f20c97b81d9ac4631. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:45 PM.
Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, March 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.
Wednesday, March 11, 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.
Thursday, March 12, 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, March 12, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, March 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.
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 13, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, March 13, 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, March 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, March 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.
Friday, March 13, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Family Fun | Nowruz Scavenger Hunt, Story Time & Crafts
Kids and Family
Look toward the coming of spring and celebrate Nowruz with the family! Enjoy a scavenger hunt and storytelling in the galleries and coloring and crafts in the North Corridor. No reservation needed.
Our annual festival is made possible by the Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar Persian Cultural Celebrations Fund. National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Colleen J. Dugan.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 3, Gallery 4. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Kids & Families. Celebrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Nowruz Family Festival
Kids and Family
Honor the new year at our annual Nowruz Family Day. Come dressed in your Nowruz best and welcome spring with free attractions for all ages, including storytelling, hands-on activities, and more. Persian sweets and food will be available for purchase. Learn about Nowruz.
Register in advance to make sure you get the best experience. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.
Performances
All performance locations have limited capacity. No one may enter when the theater is full/at capacity. Storytelling with Xanthe
12, 1, 2:20, and 3:30 p.m.
Ripley Center, Discovery Theater, level B3, Activities
Special thanks to the Family Fun team and our backgammon community players. Haft Sin Table
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
West Building, Lobby (Mall Entrance) , Scavenger Hunt and Storybook Reading
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
West Building, Galleries 3 and 4 , Calligraphy by Alibaba Awrang
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
East Building, B1 Lobby , Children’s Book Reading with Rashin Kheiriyeh
11:30 a.m. 1:30…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Asian Art Museum, West Building. Event Location: National Museum of Asian Art. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nowruz-family-festival-tickets-1982298341702?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Celebrations. Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. ASL-interpreted program.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 11:00 AM – 4:00 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, March 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Curator Tour | Feast Your Eyes
Gallery Talks & Tours
Enjoy a Nowruz-specific tour of Feast Your Eyes with curator Antonietta Catanzariti. This exhibition showcases objects that expressed luxury in ancient Iran, from vessels to beads to swords.
There are two chances to join a tour, one at 1–2 p.m. and the other at 2:30–3:30 p.m.
Please meet in gallery 21 for the tour. No registration is necessary, but the tour may be crowded since it takes place during a festival day. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Colleen J. Dugan.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 21. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Celebrations. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM.
CANCELLED - 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, March 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. CANCELLED - Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
CANCELLED - 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, March 14, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Curator Tour | Engaging the Senses
Gallery Talks & Tours
Enjoy a Nowruz-specific tour of Engaging the Senses with curators Massumeh Farhad and Simon Rettig. This exhibition showcases objects that tap into our senses—sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell—helping us connect to the inner senses that define us as human beings: understanding, imagination, and memory.
Please meet in gallery 3 for the tour. No registration is necessary, but the tour may be crowded since it takes place during a festival day. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Cory Grace.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 3, Gallery 4. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Celebrations. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:30 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, March 15, 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, March 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.
Sunday, March 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, March 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.
Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 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.
Monday, March 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, March 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.
Monday, March 16, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Persian Cinema: Poetry and Protest
Lectures & Discussions
In this online talk, curator of film Tom Vick presents an insider’s view of the annual Festival of Films from Iran at the National Museum of Asian Art, which just concluded its thirtieth year. The festival showcases a selection of the best Iranian and diasporic films of the year. Vick will discuss Iranian cinema’s preservation of cultural traditions, its central role in contemporary Iran, and its commitment to exposing social injustices.
The talk will be followed by a Q&A and discussion moderated by Massumeh Farhad, The Ebrahimi Family Curator of Persian, Arab, and Turkish Art, Director of the Freer Research Center, and the Senior Associate Director for Research.
Tom Vick has served as curator of film at NMAA since 2001. Formerly, Vick was the coordinator of film programs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He has worked as a consultant for the International Film Festival Rotterdam and served on the juries of the Korean Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal,…
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OS_v9krhQzyQGIcxAB-C3Q#/registration. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 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.
Tuesday, March 17, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, March 17, 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, March 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 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.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Virtual Tour | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join a virtual tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Tara (one of the Famed Twenty-one Tara Emanations); Central Tibet, Second half of 17th century; gilt copper alloy, turquoise, enamel, and coral; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2011.12a-c.
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PLzdXIHbSgW9kfap6XoGFQ. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, March 17, 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, March 18, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, March 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.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 19, 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, March 19, 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, March 19, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, March 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.
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 20, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, March 20, 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, March 20, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, March 20, 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, March 20, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | Caring for Japanese Tea Utensils
Lectures & Discussions
It’s not every day that a museum cares for a collection still actively used in traditional tea practice—an exciting opportunity that also raises unique conservation questions.
Join art conservator Ellen Chase, along with curatorial assistant and tea practitioner Ayumi Nelson, to explore how we preserve Japanese tea utensils we use in tea gatherings (such as the upcoming chanoyu presentation). Learn how this compares to the way we treat utensils intended for display.
Examine sample ceramic and lacquer pieces, and get a feel for the conservation materials involved—from sponges and swabs to adhesives and pigments. Afterwards, step inside the exhibition Reasons to Gather to explore related tea objects on display. Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 8. Cost: Free. Register in advance (optional). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983973359726?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, March 20, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Cherry Blossom Concert: Ayaka Hirahara
Performances
Catch a smaller, more intimate concert by singer Ayaka Hirahara the night before she opens the National Cherry Blossom Festival! This event is presented in partnership with Japan Foundation New York.
Ayaka Hirahara debuted in 2003 with “Jupiter.” She has received high acclaim and numerous awards as a singer, including the Japan Record Awards for Artist Award and the Japan Gold Disc Award. All the while, she actively performs in diverse fields such as musicals, voice acting, dramas, and movie dubbing.
In 2015, she established the Ayaka Hirahara Jupiter Fund to contribute to society and provide various forms of support through music. She performed the national anthem at the opening match of Rugby World Cup 2019. Her musical theater credits include Love Never Dies, Beautiful, Mary Poppins, Fist of the North Star: Hokuto no Ken, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. “Ayaka Hirahara Concert Tour 2024–2025 ~ The Swinging Classics! ~” was co-directed and produced with Masataka Matsutoya. She continues her concert tours…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-cherry-blossom-festival-concert-ayaka-hirahara-tickets-1983465667204?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Performances. Celebrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, March 20, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:00 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, March 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.
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Mother of Snow Cranes
Films
Watch the Trailer
In Person: Iiris Härmä director; Visa Koiso-Kanttila, producer
Co-presented with the Embassy of Finland
This documentary details the extraordinary life of Ellen Vuosalo, known as the “mother of snow cranes” for dedicating her life to protecting the Siberian cranes that winter in Iran. Vuosalo was born in Canada in 1931 to a family of Finnish immigrants. She later studied biology at UCLA, then married and started a family with an Iranian man. Her abusive husband fled with the children to Iran when she asked for a divorce. Vuosalo followed him to get her children back and settled in Iran, where she spent over five decades on conservation, ornithology, and local environmental initiatives. Iiris Härmä’s film is a stirring portrait of a strong, adventurous woman.
Director: Iiris Härmä. Country: Finland. Released: 2024. Length: 75 min. Format: DCP. Languages: English and Persian with English subtitles. Image courtesy of the Finnish Film Foundation.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://effnmaa2025.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 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.
Saturday, March 21, 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.
Sunday, March 22, 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, March 22, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. What Does That Nature Say to You
Films
Watch the Trailer
In the latest film from Hong Sang-soo (subject of our 2024 retrospective), a young Seoul poet named Donghwa travels to the countryside with his girlfriend Junhee to meet her parents for the first time. Donghwa becomes enchanted with the house and its beautiful environs, which were cultivated by Junhee’s father to provide serene surroundings for his mother when she was dying. He is also struck by the father’s devotion to nature, tradition, and filial duty. But as the hours drift by and the makgeolli flows, Donghwa’s tongue loosens and his anxieties begin to surface. As easygoing as a lazy afternoon spent with friends, Hong’s film is a genial ode to nature as inspiration.
Director: Hong Sang-soo. Country: Korea. Released: 2025. Length: 108 min. Format: DCP. Languages: Korean with English subtitles. Image courtesy of The Cinema Guild.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://effnmaa2025.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Sunday, March 22, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, March 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.
Sunday, March 22, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 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.
Monday, March 23, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, March 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.
Monday, March 23, 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, March 24, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, March 24, 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, March 24, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 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.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Curator Tour | Reasons to Gather
Gallery Talks & Tours
Explore the world of Japanese tea with curator Sol Jung on this exclusive tour of Reasons to Gather.
This exhibition presents eleven historic tea utensils and accessories that accumulated significance over generations of use at tea gatherings. These ceramics, hanging scrolls, boxes, and wrapping cloths tell a story of exchange from across Asia to Japanese tea rooms.
Please meet at gallery 8 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Tea caddy, named Sakai Kokatatsuki, with red lacquer tray and scroll; China, Yuan dynasty, 1279–1368; brown stoneware with black iron glaze and ivory lid; lacquer; paper and silk; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Gregory Kinsey, Kinsey Chanoyu Collection, in honor of Louise Cort and in appreciation of her years of scholarship in support of Chanoyu education in the U.S. F2021.3.5.1a–gg–3a–e.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 8. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982233370371?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Reasons to Gather: Japanese Tea Practice Unwrapped. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, March 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.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, March 25, 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.
Wednesday, March 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.
Thursday, March 26, 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, March 26, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, March 26, 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, March 26, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 27, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Kyoto Kimono Pop Up
Workshops
Kyoto Kimono is back at the National Museum of Asian Art for a Spring Pop Up!
Come browse this special collection of vintage Japanese kimono robes, haori jackets, obi sashes, upcycled fabric, and more—it's a treat just to try one on. Casual and formal wear for everyone; dazzling decor options too. Kyoto Kimono owner Nancy McDonough will be on hand to guide you through the many styles and to answer your questions about kimono (or Kyoto!). Image credit: Courtesy of Kyoto Kimono.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: NMAA Shop. Cost: Free. Categories: Shopping/Book Signing. Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, March 27, 2026, 12:00 PM – 5:30 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, March 27, 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, March 27, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, March 27, 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, March 27, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Kyoto Kimono Pop Up
Workshops
Kyoto Kimono is back at the National Museum of Asian Art for a Spring Pop Up!
Come browse this special collection of vintage Japanese kimono robes, haori jackets, obi sashes, upcycled fabric, and more—it's a treat just to try one on. Casual and formal wear for everyone; dazzling decor options too. Kyoto Kimono owner Nancy McDonough will be on hand to guide you through the many styles and to answer your questions about kimono (or Kyoto!). Image credit: Courtesy of Kyoto Kimono.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: NMAA Shop. Cost: Free. Categories: Shopping/Book Signing. Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:30 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, March 28, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Public Chanoyu Presentation with Urasenke Tankokai Washington DC and Artist DG Smalling
Lectures & Discussions
Witness a public presentation of a traditional Japanese practice of tea preparation called chanoyu, featuring tea utensils from the museum’s collection. This is our third annual, public chanoyu presentation with the Urasenke Tankokai Washington DC Association. Tea will not be served to audience members during this presentation.
The 2026 program marks a significant expansion of this annual event. For the first time, the event will feature a koicha (thick tea) presentation in the museum’s largest indoor venue, the Meyer Auditorium.
Master Artist DG Smalling (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) expands the program with a creative collaboration. Smalling will create live, continuous-line drawings of the presentation in his signature single-line style. He draws upon the historic practice of kaiki (record of a gathering), associated with sixteenth-century tea masters such as Tsuda Sōgyū. His participation celebrates the enduring spirit of US-Japan cultural exchange on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982898938102?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Demonstrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:30 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, March 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 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.
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Kyoto Kimono Pop Up
Workshops
Kyoto Kimono is back at the National Museum of Asian Art for a Spring Pop Up!
Come browse this special collection of vintage Japanese kimono robes, haori jackets, obi sashes, upcycled fabric, and more—it's a treat just to try one on. Casual and formal wear for everyone; dazzling decor options too. Kyoto Kimono owner Nancy McDonough will be on hand to guide you through the many styles and to answer your questions about kimono (or Kyoto!). Image credit: Courtesy of Kyoto Kimono.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: NMAA Shop. Cost: Free. Categories: Shopping/Book Signing. Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, March 29, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 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, March 29, 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, March 29, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, March 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.
Sunday, March 29, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, March 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.
Monday, March 30, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Monday, March 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.
Monday, March 30, 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, March 31, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, March 31, 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, March 31, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Tours | Art of Women
Gallery Talks & Tours
Join us for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold stories in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history. Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity. Image: White Tara; Tibet, mid- to late 18th century; thangka applique; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, The Alice S. Kandell Collection, S2020.5.19.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Meet at B1 Lobby. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 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.
Tuesday, March 31, 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, April 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.
Wednesday, April 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.
Thursday, April 2, 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, April 2, 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, April 2, 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, April 2, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Artist Talk: Hiroshi Senju
Lectures & Discussions
Hear internationally recognized painter Hiroshi Senju talk about his artistic process in person on the opening day of Into the Waters with Senju and Bingyi: Two Contemporary Paintings.
Senju is known for his ethereal waterfall paintings, which can be found in art collections globally and in public spaces like Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, the US Embassy in Tokyo, the Buddhist monastery on Mount Kōya, and the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC. He has traveled around the world to study waterfalls and distills their essence using mineral-based pigments that have been a staple of Japanese painting for centuries.
After the talk, Curator of Japanese Art Frank Feltens joins Senju for a conversation and audience Q&A.
To celebrate the exhibition opening and program, the galleries will remain open until 6:30 p.m. so attendees can experience these two dynamic artworks before the start of the artist talk. Image ©️ Senju Studio, LLC.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, April 2, 2026, 6:30 PM – 7:30 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.
Friday, April 3, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, April 3, 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, April 3, 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, April 3, 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, April 3, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, April 4, 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, April 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.
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Perfect Blue
Films
New 4K Restoration!
Watch the Trailer
This iconic psychological thriller has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time. In legendary anime director Satoshi Kon’s groundbreaking first feature, rising pop star Mima has quit singing to pursue a career as an actress and model, but her fans aren’t ready to see her go. After Mima takes on a recurring role on a popular TV show, her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima’s reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. As her stalker closes in both in person and online, the threat they pose is more real than even Mima knows. Description adapted from GKIDS.
Intended for mature audiences.
Director: Satoshi Kon. Country: Japan. Released: 1997. Length: 81 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of GKIDS.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://animenmaa.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Captioning. Assisted listening devices.
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:30 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, April 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.
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Ghost in the Shell
Films
Watch the Trailer
Widely regarded as one of the greatest anime films of all time, Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 masterpiece feels eerily prescient of today’s digitally entwined world.
In the year 2029, the world is interconnected by a vast network that permeates every aspect of life. Cyborg Motoko Kusanagi of Tokyo’s security force investigates a powerful hacker who attacks that network, even tapping into human minds and erasing their memories. Through her investigation, Kusanagi is forced to ponder the very nature of her existence and question what is the “ghost”—her essence—in her cybernetic “shell”? Little does she know that the Puppet Master is seeking her as well. Oshii’s pioneering feature is both a gorgeous science fiction adventure and a philosophical rumination on the nature of consciousness.
Intended for mature audiences.
Director: Mamoru Oshii. Country: Japan. Released: 1995. Length: 83 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Swank Motion Pictures.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://animenmaa.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Captioning. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM.
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, April 5, 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, April 5, 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, April 5, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Scarlet
Films
Watch the Trailer
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the latest anime from Mamoru Hosoda (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Belle) features a time-traveling, sword-wielding heroine on a quest to avenge the death of her father, the king of Denmark. After her wicked great uncle poisons her, Scarlet finds herself in the “otherworld,” a land of the dead where she battles evil forces. There, she meets an idealistic young man from the future—our present day—who encourages her to break the cycle of vengeance and envision a future free of bitterness and rage. Shakespeare may be spinning in his grave at the liberties Hosoda takes with his play, but Scarlet stands on its own as a ravishing fantasy adventure.
Director: Mamoru Hosoda. Country: Japan. Released: 2025. Length: 111 min. Format: DCP. Language: Japanese with English subtitles. Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://animenmaa.eventive.org/films. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Captioning.
Sunday, April 5, 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, April 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.
Sunday, April 5, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, April 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.
Monday, April 6, 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, April 6, 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, April 7, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, April 7, 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, April 7, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Virtual Tour | Cherry Blossoms
Gallery Talks & Tours
Embrace hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of “flower viewing” across our Japanese collections, with works from medieval Japan to Hokusai and beyond. In this virtual tour, you’ll explore Japanese symbols, values, and traditions associated with cherry blossoms, or sakura, through paintings, woodblock prints, and more. Wind-screen and cherry tree 桜に幔幕図屏風; Japan, 1615–86; color over gold on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1897.3.
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PoHtDtJpS_eOTQt5Ol0jXw. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, April 7, 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, April 7, 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, April 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit asia.si.edu. Rashomon
Films
A riveting psychological thriller that investigates the nature of truth and the meaning of justice, Rashomon is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. Four people give different accounts of a man’s murder and the rape of his wife, which director Akira Kurosawa presents with striking imagery and an ingenious use of flashbacks. This eloquent masterwork and international sensation revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema—and a commanding new star by the name of Toshiro Mifune—to the Western world. Description courtesy of Janus Films.
Director: Akira Kurosawa. Country: Japan. Released: 1950. Length: 88 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/films/69496cc4335ee12f50d1cf66. Categories: Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices. Captioning.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:30 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, April 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.
Thursday, April 9, 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, April 9, 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, April 9, 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, April 9, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Shanghai Quartet
Performances
Seating is limited. Reserve your seat in advance to pick where you sit ($6 fee per seat). Join the standby line for remaining seats on the day of the concert, free of charge.
Over the past forty-two years, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. Their elegant style, impressive technique, and emotional breadth allow the group to move seamlessly between masterpieces of Western music, traditional Chinese folk music, and cutting-edge contemporary works. In their long history of championing new music, the quartet highlight works that juxtapose the traditions of Eastern and Western music.
Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, soon after the end of China’s harrowing Cultural Revolution, the group came to the United States to complete its studies and were based in the US for more than thirty-five years while touring throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In September 2020, the Shanghai Quartet moved back to China to join the resident faculty of The Tianjin…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shanghai-quartet-tickets-1977543413584?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Performances. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, April 9, 2026, 7:30 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.
Friday, April 10, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, April 10, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM.
Artful Movement | SEL Webinar for Students K–3
Kids and Family
Get ready to observe, chat, and move with art! In these webinars, students (grades K–3) will look carefully at a work of art through facilitated exploration. Then, they will breathe, stretch, and flow through a guided mindful movement. This month’s theme is “Water Play.”
These sessions are perfect for families, homeschool groups, virtual schools, and teachers who may want to review a recording with their students after the live session. Everyone who registers gets a link to the recording. Each session includes American Sign Language interpretation. Sessions take place on Fridays from 1 to 1:30 p.m. We present these webinars in partnership with Create Calm. Toyokuni II (1777–1835); Carp; Japan, 1827–35; ink and color on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Gift of Dr. John Fuegi, F1996.27a-b.
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T2wnDAXXSCm9ZerxUvoNdw. Categories: Kids & Families. Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program.
Friday, April 10, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 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, April 10, 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, April 10, 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, April 10, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, April 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.
Saturday, April 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.
Saturday, April 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.
Saturday, April 11, 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.
Sunday, April 12, 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, April 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.
Sunday, April 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.
Sunday, April 12, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, April 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.
Monday, April 13, 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, April 13, 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, April 14, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Tuesday, April 14, 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, April 14, 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, April 14, 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, April 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.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.
Musicians from Marlboro III
Performances
Seating is limited. Reserve your seat in advance to pick where you sit ($6 fee per seat). Join the standby line for remaining seats on the day of the concert, free of charge.
This season’s third Musicians from Marlboro ensemble showcases three outstanding, emerging singers performing vocal duets by Schumann, Britten, and Brahms, alongside a pair of Haydn’s most inviting piano trios. For 60 years, the Musicians from Marlboro touring program has brought memorable performances from Vermont’s legendary chamber music school and festival to national audiences.
The program features: Haydn’s Piano Trio No. 41 in E-flat minor, Hob. XV:31 , Brahms’s Three Duets, Op. 20 , Britten’s Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac , Schumann’s Four Duets, Op. 78 , Haydn’s Piano Trio in C major, Hob. XV:27, Artists include soprano Bridget Esler, mezzo-soprano Chihiro Asano, tenor Patrick Bessenbacher, pianists Lydia Brown and Solomon Ge, violinist Oliver Neubauer, and cellist Judith Serkin. This performance is part of the Bill and Mary…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/musicians-from-marlboro-iii-tickets-1977527540106?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Performances. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:00 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, April 16, 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, April 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.
Thursday, April 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.
Thursday, April 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.
Thursday, April 16, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 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, April 17, 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: Gong Xian (ca. 1610–1689); Winter Landscape; China, mid- to late 17th century; album leaf; ink on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1961.11.
Event Location: Online. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Cost: Free; registration required. Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/register/8R9H5FxSRciJf6x6PSGd0w. Categories: Workshops. Webcasts & Online. Related Events: Meditation and Mindfulness (Online).
Friday, April 17, 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, April 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.
Friday, April 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.
Friday, April 17, 2026, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM.