One of the first displays you saw upon entering the Asian Art Museum's old home in Golden Gate Park was the "Treasure Wall," which was modeled after the Chinese Empress’s reception room in the Forbidden City of Beijing. Shelves that lined the entire wall contained exquisite vases, bowls and other objects from areas including China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Nepal.

The "Treasure Wall" served as a nice introduction to the Museum’s collection, which includes art from 40 nations throughout Asia. This collection, of more than 15,000 objects and representing 6,000 years of cultural history, makes San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum the largest museum in the United States devoted to Asian art.

But as much as we loved the old configuration, even we cannot deny that the new galleries, which are housed in San Francisco's former Main Library, a 1917 Beaux Arts-style building, provide much more space and show off the collection beautifully. Incidentally, the architect Gae Aulenti, who was responsible for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the city's former Main Library was also in charge of the change of a former railroad station to the fabulous Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Our favorite sections of the Asian Art Museum are the galleries devoted to Japanese art -- don't miss them! You will see beautiful paintings, such as the six-fold screen depicting cranes, as well as silk kimonos, sculpture, and wonderful porcelains.

We also love the displays of Tibetan art. Note the rich coloration and elaborate decorations on these lavish and exuberant works of art.

Details
Visit the Asian Art Museum's web site for the latest information about hours, admission fees, and exhibitions, as well as directions for getting there via public transportation or by driving.

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