Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about artworks

Questions about visits

I own a work of Asian art. Can the museum help me find out more about it?

The museum might be able to assist you in various ways

Contributor's Consultation Day

Once a month, the museum hosts a day, where members of the museum at the Contributor Level and above may have a consultation with curators who will help owners of art work identify, date, attribute and describe their objects. This benefit is only for qualifying members of the museum and reservations are required. This service is offered the third Friday of each month (except December) by appointment. Appointments are approximatly 20 minutes in length. Members may bring up to 3 objects to be reviewed. Due to high demand, members may only schedule one appointment annually. Please note: this is not an appraisal and nothing in writing will be provided. Learn how to become a member. If you are a member at Contributor Level or above and would like to make an appointment for Members Day, please call 415.581.3677.

Museum's Library

You may also wish to visit the museum's library, one of the more comprehensive research libraries on Asian art and culture in the United States. With nearly 37,000 titles and more than 225 active serial subscriptions, as well as auction catalogs, microfilms, and photograph collections the C. Laan Chun Library Center has many materials, both rare and scholarly, not available in many of the local university and college libraries. Subject areas cover not only art but archaeology, architecture, landscape architecture, history, philosophy, religion, folk culture, festivals and folklore, literature, the performing arts, and music, as well as some specialized materials on Asian science and medicine.

The library’s collections are available to the general public by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Collections are noncirculating, but there is a photocopy machine in the reading room. Photocopies are $0.10 per page. For an appointment please contact the library staff at 415-581-3692 or 415-581-3693 or email: jstucky@asianart.org.

Appraisals

Unfortunately, the museum's curators and other staff cannot provide information on the monetary value of your objects. If you wish to know the value of your artwork, you should consult a trained professional art appraiser to help you with your questions. To find an appropriate appraiser, the museum recommends that you contact the American Society of Appraisers, 800-272-8258.

I have an artwork that is damaged, how do I get it repaired?

Caring for art requires much special care and attention, and we are therefore hesitant to offer advice. We suggest that you contact the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works. Their website has pamphlets on selecting a conservator and a general introduction to the care of various materials. They also have a free referral service of conservators throughout the United States. They also offer various publications containing general information related to conservation and choosing a conservator. You may write to them at 1717 K Street NW, Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20006, or call them at 202.452.9545.

How can I sell or donate a piece of art to the museum?

The museum is always interested in adding new objects to its collection. The first step is to mail (not email, please) high-quality color or black and white photographs of the art objects accompanied by detailed descriptions of the objects and how they were obtained. It is also helpful to include a brief statement regarding why you would like the Asian Art Museum to consider them for acquisition to the museum. Please mail the information about the items to:

Curatorial Department
Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

After receiving your information, a representative of the curatorial department will determine if the items are appropriate for addition to the museum's collection. If it is determined to be something the museum should pursue, a representative from the curatorial department will contact you about our accession policy.

How do I contact the museum’s Lost and Found department?

If you would like to contact the museum’s Lost and Found department, please call 415.581.3500 and leave a message. Please include your name, date of visit, a short description of the lost item, and a telephone number where you can be reached. A museum representative will return your call as soon as possible.