Welcome to the website of the Asian Art Museum. Located in San Francisco's Civic Center, the museum is one of the largest in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art. But we are more than just an art museum—we are your ticket to Asia. Here you can travel through 6,000 years of history, trek across seven major regions, and sample the cultures of numerous countries.

For those planning a visit to the museum, this website provides the information you need to get the most from your experience. For those unable to visit in person, it offers an opportunity to explore many facets of Asian art and culture.

For directions to the museum, information about our hours and admission prices, and other practical details, please select the drop-down "Visit" menu, which is the second from the left in the orange band above. Don't forget to check what programs are planned for your dates. We offer a rich range of performances, lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on events. Information about these can be found by selecting "Educator Events" from the "Education" drop-down menu. You can also see a list of all our events on our calendar, subscribe to our e-mail newsletter, and purchase tickets in advance of your visit through the links underneath the search box, at the right above.

By all means you should check our special exhibition schedule by following the links to "Upcoming Exhibitions" under the "Art" menu. We have an exciting schedule of exhibitions planned for this year and next. Highlights of the special exhibitions include:

• Lords of the Samurai
  June 12–September 20, 2009
  Exploring the code of the Samurai and their way of life.
  
• Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam and Burma, 1775-1950
  October 23-January 10, 2010
  A dazzling display of rare Southeast Asia art.
  
• Shanghai
  February 12–September 5, 2010
  The panorama of art from the city, from the mid 19th century to the present.

That is only a sampling of our special exhibitions—come back often to learn more.

If you can't come in person—or even if you can!—consider exploring our permanent collection by following the links to "Search the Collection" under the "Art" menu. Around 5,000 objects are currently available for viewing, and we are adding more on a regular basis. Here you can search the collection for artists, cultures, types of art, keywords, and more. You will be able to read object labels written by our curators and zoom in for larger views of the works themselves.

Of course there is much more to explore on the website. Membership is a great value, and you can learn about our various levels of membership here. You can also visit our store, which offers art works, books, and other objects, many of them handmade in Asia and available nowhere else. And . . . I could go on, but it would be better for you to chart your own journey. Enjoy your visit!

Photo of Jay Xu by Kaz Tsuruta