Conservation Cart Talk | From Panel to Hanging Scroll
Join Japanese painting conservators to explore the process of converting panel-mounted paintings back into hanging scrolls. Handle a former mounting panel, still layered with fabric, to better understand its structure. Then watch a live demonstration of how the first layer of backing paper is carefully applied to a painting—an essential step in creating a hanging scroll. Learn more by speaking with conservators about their ongoing treatment of paintings by Hishikawa Moroyasu and Katsushika Hokusai.
On our blog, you can learn more about how we mount Japanese paintings. National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Department of Conservation and Scientific Research.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: North Corridor near Gallery 5. Cost: Free. Register in advance (optional). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1991072447288?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Demonstrations. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, July 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Artist Talk: Refik Anadol
Join renowned artist Refik Anadol as he discusses his debut large-scale public art project on the National Mall, “Smithsonian Dreams.“
Get an inside look at how Anadol blends data and machine intelligence into his creative work through a “fireside“ chat with museum director Chase F. Robinson. Afterward, head over to the National Mall to see his installation in action, as the historic Smithsonian Castle comes alive with light, sound, and data. About “Smithsonian Dreams“
Created by Refik Anadol Studio, this installation uses artificial intelligence to reimagine nearly two centuries of Smithsonian collections and research. Drawing from millions of digitized items, ranging from specimens and scientific records to manuscripts, photographs, and artworks, the project turns collection data into a continuously evolving visual experience projected across the Castle’s red sandstone façade and towers.
Every image in the presentation comes from Smithsonian collections, brought together through a custom visualization…
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/artist-talk-refik-anadol-tickets-1992523716072?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Curator Tour | Chinese Arts of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Join curator Jan Stuart for an exclusive tour of Chinese calligraphy, porcelains, and paintings, including scrolls illuminating the steps of silk cultivation and tilling rice.
Please meet at gallery 13 for the tour. We recommend you register in advance. Image: Attributed to Cheng Qi (傳)程棨 (act. mid- to late 13th century); Silk Weaving after Lou Shou 摹樓璹〈蠶織圖; China, mid- to late 13th century; ink and color on paper; National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Freer Collection, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1954.20.
Venue: Asian Art Museum. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 13. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988568831907?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.