Today’s Seattle Asian Art Museum is inspired. The newly renovated and expanded museum breaks boundaries to offer a thematic, rather than geographic or chronological, exploration of art from the world’s largest continent. The restoration of the historic Art Deco building, improvements to critical systems, expanded gallery and education spaces, and a new park lobby that connects the museum to the surrounding Volunteer Park are just some of the ways the museum has been transformed and preserved as a cultural and community resource for future generations.

You will no longer find galleries labeled China, Japan, or India. Instead, vibrant artworks from Vietnam to Iran, and everywhere in between, come together to tell stories of human experiences across time and place. From themes of worship and celebration to clothing and identity, nature and power to birth and death, the new collection installation reveals the complexity and diversity of Asia—a place of distinct cultures, histories, and belief systems that help shape our world today.

When the museum reopens, community spaces and the library will not be available in order to limit contact and maintain physical distance, however a smartphone tour is available for free during your visit. The Gardner Center for Asian Arts and Ideas will continue to offer virtual programs for the time being for Asian art lovers to enjoy.

Be/longing: Contemporary Asian Art

Vast, vibrant, and rapidly changing, Asia is a fertile ground for contemporary artists. The 12 artists in in this exhibition were born in different parts of Asia: Azerbaijan, Iran, India, Thailand, China, Korea, and Japan. All of the artists have worked or are still working outside Asia—their experiences as both insiders and outsiders inspire artworks that are at once Asian and global while addressing identity and belonging.

Visit today’s Seattle Asian Art Museum
From grand, ancient Buddhist sculptures to our iconic 17th-century Japanese Crows screens to Colored Vases by contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, our collection has been imaginatively curated and beautifully installed. Built in 1933 as Seattle Art Museum’s original home, the historic Art Deco building in Volunteer Park became the home to SAM’s exceptional Asian art collection in 1994 as one of only a few museums in the United States dedicated to the arts of Asia. The Seattle Asian Art Museum is a beloved treasure in a creative, cultured, and curious city.

The Future Ancient »
The Future Ancient is a series of workshops, performances, temporary public art, and community festivities curated by Che Sehyun that celebrates the reopening of the Asian Art Museum. Managed by the Office of Arts & Culture, The Future Ancient will be presented in and around the Asian Art Museum through the City of Seattle’s 1% for Art program with the goal of showcasing the incredible talent of local Asian/Pacific Islander artists and community who value their cultural heritage in a future-forward and socially transformative way.

Education Resource Center »
The Education Resource Center (ERC) at SAM’s downtown location has many free resources related to all three of our locations. Take a look at the Asian Art Museum Educator Resource Guide in advance of a visit with students!

Share your memories!

For generations, children and adults have climbed atop the famed camels flanking the front door of the Seattle Asian Art Museum before entering the building to experience art and culture from around the globe. Now you can share your pictures and memories with SAM and the community! Submit photos of you and your loved ones posing with the camels and tell us your story.