Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
Overview | History | National and International Recognition
Strategically located on the Pacific Rim and serving one of the most diverse communities in the United States, The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco – Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture is uniquely positioned to lead a diverse, global audience in discovering the distinctive materials, aesthetics and intellectual achievements of Asian art and cultures, and to serve as a bridge of understanding between Asia and the United States and between the diverse cultures of Asia.
• Excellent, internationally renowned, diverse Asian art collection.
• Largest museum in the United States dedicated solely to Asian Art.
• Beautiful historic building in prime San Francisco location.
• Opened in 1966 as a result of a gift to the city of San Francisco by industrialist Avery Brundage.
• The museum’s holdings include more than 17,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history and reflect all of major religious traditions and intellectual movements of Asia.
In March 2003, the museum relocated and opened in its world-class Civic Center location, across from San Francisco’s City Hall.
• Since that time, we have welcomed almost two million visitors and have emerged as an important cultural asset to San Francisco’s thriving arts community and claimed a place in the international arts scene.
• The museum is under the leadership of Dr. Jay Xu, who joined the museum as director in June 2008 and is a native of Shanghai.
National and International Recognition
• “There may be no better place in North America to reach for an overview of the arts of the East than the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.” – San Francisco Chronicle
• “…the uncontested art jewel in San Francisco.” – The New York Times
• “San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum is forging closer ties with the mainland under its tireless new director.” – South China Morning Post
