Huge variety of asian arts. There are even a few interactive parts too! Every piece was so beautiful and it was located in such a beautiful park as well. It is kind of located next to this big ugly pond that looks a bit out of place but if you turn you back you will be so mesmerized by how beautiful the surrounding area is.
The staff are so nice and directed us towards lockers (free) to store our stuff. The museum is designed intuitively so you know where to walk next. The whole building is architecturally beautiful and pleasing.
The best part of museums is looking through the gift shop but unfortunately the gift shop here is just a small corner. Nonetheless a beautiful museum!
The Seattle Asian Art Museum is pretty small, and it’s a little strange to describe a museum in this way, but it felt very dated, as in much of the collection felt like what most people think Asian art is and not what it has evolved to be. There’s a lot of the standard Chinese artifacts, Buddhist and Hindu iconography, Japanese art, and a sprinkling of Korean artifacts. However, in the context of AANHPI, I thought that almost all of the groups in the acronym were underrepresented and there’s barely any SEA art mention in the museum. The gift shop is also small and gimmicky.
The most fascinating exhibit was by Anida Yoeu Ali (a Cambodian American artist), which was a traveling exhibit. Most of the other collections were not memorable.
While admission isn’t too expensive, the Art Deco exterior is great, and I’m glad this space exists, Wing Luke does a better job of telling stories from the AANHPI experience.
