Written By: Michelle Sosa
Edited By: Adina Vega and Genevieve Hammang
If you are a fan of art and Asian culture, there is a museum that combines the two! Built over a century ago, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is home to one of North America’s largest collections of Asian art. This museum also stands as the first art museum developed by the Smithsonian. For those who are not familiar, the Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest research, museum, and educational institution. First founded in 1846 as an independent federal trust instrumentality, the Smithsonian now holds 21 libraries, 21 museums, the National Zoo, several research centers, and education centers. In 1906, the Smithsonian received a gift that allowed for the development and opening of the NMAA in 1923. Today, the museum is located at the National Mall in Washington, DC, the largest museum complex in the world. This museum complex receives about 27 million visitors each year!
An image of the NMAA’s courtyard.
The NMAA houses various collections such as Ancient Egyptian art, Chinese art, Korean art, and more! They also hold over one thousand cubic feet of material that date anywhere from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first century. With the exception of the physical materials that can only be viewed in-house, some of the archives have been digitized and can, therefore, be viewed through the museum’s website. An interesting collection housed at the museum is the Missing Art Object from the Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art. The title stems from the 160 missing documented objects from Dr. Singer’s residence at the time of his death in 1997. To this day, the Sackler Gallery is seeking assistance in locating these missing items. You can view this section of the website here.
An image of the Sackler Gallery within the NMAA.
Research is also an important component of NMAA as it welcomes scholars and students in addition to the general public. Since its inception, the museum has published scholarly work written by its staff. The museum’s Freer Research Center was officially established in 2024 and it is responsible for fellowships, programs, and peer-reviewed publications. The research center was named after the museum founder Charles Lang Freer who envisioned educational opportunities for scholars and interested individuals alike. In addition to the research conducted, the Freer Research Center also hosts workshops, conferences, and lectures to showcase the work. Lastly, the research center also produces one of the oldest journals on Asian art titled Ars Orientalis.
If you are interested in visiting the museum, make sure to visit the section of their website that provides more information for tourists. The museum provides group tours, family activities, and more. You can view more information using this link.
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