Japanese Tea Practice: Past and Present
In this webinar, curator Sol Jung explores the past and present of Japanese tea practice with a behind-the-scenes look at the Kinsey Chanoyu Collection and its impact on the Freer Study Collection. Then she will engage with audience members in a lively Q&A.
Sol Jung is the Shirley Z. Johnson Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the National Museum of Asian Art. She specializes in Japanese art history with a focus on how transnational maritime trade impacted Japan’s visual culture during the premodern period. Jung received her BA with distinction in history of art at the University of Pennsylvania and her MA in art and archaeology from Princeton University. She curated Princeton University Art Museum’s first thematic exhibition of Korean ceramics entitled Korean Ceramics: From Archaeology to Art History. Jung has examined the reception of Korean tea bowls, called kōrai jawan in Japan, during the sixteenth century. Fieldwork at several maritime settlement sites in Japan and analysis of period tea documents,…
Event Location: Zoom. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zju_manmQRi2jD_0hpvH8Q. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Captioning.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Korean Treasures Symposium | Keynote and Reception
Keynote and reception: Thursday, January 22, 2026: 6–8 p.m. EST
Symposium: Friday, January 23, 2026: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. EST
Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared honors the practice of collecting to preserve memories, express one’s taste, and safeguard traditions for generations to come. This exhibition is the National Museum of Asian Art’s largest and most comprehensive presentation of Korean art as well as the first US showcase of masterpieces generously donated to the Korean nation by the family of Lee Kun-Hee. Spanning 1,500 years, the exhibition features over two hundred remarkable objects, ranging from ancient Buddhist sculptures and ceramics to paintings, furnishings, and modern masterpieces of the twentieth century.
In conjunction with this exhibition, the Freer Research Center is hosting a two-day international gathering in Washington, DC, dedicated to Korean art collecting—both premodern and contemporary—in Korea and beyond. The symposium begins on the evening of January 22 with an…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (suggested). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/korean-treasures-symposium-tickets-1977520392728?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared. Accessibility: Captioning. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Korean Treasures Symposium
Keynote and reception: Thursday, January 22, 2026: 6–8 p.m. EST
Symposium: Friday, January 23, 2026: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. EST
Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared honors the practice of collecting to preserve memories, express one’s taste, and safeguard traditions for generations to come. This exhibition is the National Museum of Asian Art’s largest and most comprehensive presentation of Korean art as well as the first US showcase of masterpieces generously donated to the Korean nation by the family of Lee Kun-Hee. Spanning 1,500 years, the exhibition features over two hundred remarkable objects, ranging from ancient Buddhist sculptures and ceramics to paintings, furnishings, and modern masterpieces of the twentieth century.
In conjunction with this exhibition, the Freer Research Center is hosting a two-day international gathering in Washington, DC, dedicated to Korean art collecting—both premodern and contemporary—in Korea and beyond. The symposium begins on the evening of January 22 with an…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium, Zoom. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zgufGr4BSMmunQB2zJOC4w. Cost: In-person program in the Meyer will also be livestreamed. Eventbrite link for in-person and Zoom link for livestream. Livestream will include closed captions. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Related Exhibition: Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared. Accessibility: Captioning. Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | The Science of Ink
Discover the science and history behind East Asian inks with conservation scientist Jennifer Giaccai. Explore traditional methods for making ink sticks and learn what current research reveals about these materials and their role in centuries-old artistic practices. Examine ink sticks and their ingredients up close, and see how modern analysis sheds light on ancient artistry.
Read our "Ink" Art Story for an intro to this material, its cultural use, and its history. Image: Department of Conservation and Research, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution
Caption: Microscopic view of soot, an ingredient in East Asian inks.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, East Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Gallery 24. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: National Museum of Asian Art Presents “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared”. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Makgeolli: History, Culture, and Modernity
Registration required. Must be 21 years and older to attend.
Join us for an exploration of makgeolli (막걸리), Korea’s oldest alcoholic beverage. Often dismissed as a simple “farmer’s drink“ (nongju), this milky, off-white drink is actually a “liquid artifact“ that mirrors the tumultuous history of Korea itself. Rajiv Aggarwal and Jung-Sun Cho of JS Brewery will guide the audience through the beverage’s history, science, and modern renaissance as a craft drink and wellness trend.
First, you’ll learn about makgeolli’s golden age in the Joseon dynasty, a time when homebrewing (gayangju) flourished with hundreds of unique family recipes. We’ll trace its dramatic decline during the 20th century—first through the Japanese colonial criminalization of homebrewing in 1909 and later through the post-Korean war rice ban of 1965. This later ban forced brewers to use wheat and artificial sweeteners, birthing the big white bottles of “industrial“ makgeolli and little green bottles of soju.
Then, we’ll decode the…
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: East Building. Event Location: Flex Space, Gallery 27. Cost: Free. Register in advance (required). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1977521900237?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.
Conservation Cart Talk | Jade Explained
What can science tell us about jade? Join conservation scientist Matthew Clarke to explore how mineral analysis reveals clues about origin, manufacture, and transformation over centuries. Scientific techniques shine light—figurative and literal—on why these stones appear in such a range of colors and patterns. Handle jade samples and see how research deepens our understanding of these objects. Image: Department of Conservation and Scientific Research, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Venue: Asian Art Museum, West Building. Building: West Building. Event Location: Gallery 19. Cost: Free. No registration or tickets (walk-up only). Categories: Celebrations. Lectures & Discussions. Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.