Travel across Asia without ever leaving San Francisco at the Asian Art Museum, surrounded by 18,000 artworks spanning 6000 years. Ground-floor galleries showcase contemporary artists from across the Asian diaspora, and new works interact with timeless masterpieces in upper-floor permanent collections.
Permanent Collection
Explore one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art outside Asia from the top floor down, loosely following the path of Buddhism throughout Asia. Start with third-floor collections spanning Persian ceramics, Sikh paintings, South Indian temple sculpture, Javanese shadow puppets, Tibetan mandalas and the museum's beloved unofficial mascot: a 3000-year-old Chinese bronze rhinoceros. The second floor covers 6000-year-old Japanese earthenware, prized Korean moon jars, Chinese scrolls and a minimalist contemporary alcove for meditation.
East West Bank Art Terrace
Second-floor East West Bank Art Terrace is the largest rooftop art terrace in the US (7500 sq ft), featuring large-scale sculptures like Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak’s ' Breast Stupa Topiary,' evoking Buddhist domes and the female form. Outdoor 2nd-floor Sun Family Art Terrace Cafe serves weekend afternoon snacks, wine and beer.
Special Exhibits
Ground-floor galleries feature traveling exhibits and special shows focusing on Asian American and Pacific Islander artists from across the Asian diaspora. Recent shows include Taiwanese video artist Yuan Goang-Ming’s "Everyday War," an immersive exhibit about pervasive violence in pop culture, and Sparsh Ahuja’s and Sam Dalrymple’s "Project Dastaan," a collection of personal narratives about the impact of the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan.
