National museum Asian art — Attraction in Washington

It was our first time visiting these two galleries. Most people remember them as the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. It wasn't actually called the National Museum of Asian Art until sometime in 2019. It's very fitting since the collections together give us a wider range of Asian and Islamic artifacts to enjoy.

The layout and grouping of the collections are by place and culture. It was a smooth flow as you walk from room to room. It was cool to see artifacts used in rituals that are both cultural and religious. The Southeast Asia exhibit had many Hindu and Buddhist sculptures. I was immediately aware of the ancient wooden sculptures of the Japanese temple guardians that flank the Freer North Corridor. They weren't protecting a galaxy, but they most certainly warded off evil spirits when guarding the Ebaradera temple in Osaka, Japan. These muscular figures protected the Buddha and his followers from beginning to end. That comes from the interpretation of one having an open mouth and the other having a closed mouth. How cool is that?

Each room has its own mystical or spiritual quality. There is an interesting Chinese bronze ceremonial wine vessel in the shape of a bird. It has the beak of a toucan with the body of a Dove/Pigeon. The head of the bird is the lid of the vessel. It dates back to the 5th century. There was also a bronze tapir in the same display case. It comes from the same province as the bird shaped container. Both pieces have such intricate detail. The museum is full of all kinds of interesting treasures.

I was also drawn to a painting in the Americans culture section of the museum that depicted Chinatown in Portland, Oregon. It's called the "Chinese Merchants" by Childe Hassam. The marketplace brings everything and everyone together.

The Freer Courtyard Garden is in the center of the Freer Gallery of Art. It's one of many Smithsonian Gardens. It's a great place to sit and reflect during your museum visit. Make this a part of your day at the...

It is very difficult for someone who needs to use the elevators to navigate its many levels. I took my elderly mother and was happy to see that they had wheelchairs but then had a terrible time getting from one exhibit to the next. The handicap sign at the front entrance is unreadable from the street. There should be a huge sign on the accessible door, which is to the left of the stairs of main entrance. We couldn’t see it and drove around to the mall side. Getting to the main exhibits from there was truly a nightmare. Only one guard was able to give us directions. He was a supervisor and literally walked us from elevator to elevator to elevator. What is more, there are no audio tours. I don’t think the collection or the explanations are deep enough to make it worth the effort. Except the Peacock Room which...

I absolutely love the artifacts in this museum. There are so many beautiful historical treasures. The information in each artifact is detailed and easy to understand. I appreciate each exhibit and the flow of the exhibition, going from gallery 1 to 30. The Peacock Room is a must to visit. It is so beautiful. There are no words in the room, but there are rows and columns of historical items. The Japanese supernatural exhibits are very interesting too. There is an amazing exhibit on different Buddha statues too. I highly recommend to visit this museum to learn more about Asian art. After the art visit, visiting the museum shop is a must as there are many interesting items to purchase.

It took me 3hrs to walk through and read most of...