The Asian Art Museum officially reopened to the public Thursday ahead of other local culture centers — like SFMOMA and the deYoung Museum — that plan on ushering guests through their exhibits again this weekend.
Now that San Francisco has entered the state’s "Red" Tier, which allows for 25% capacity at museums, the Asian Art Museum opened its doors to the public today (at reduced capacity), while still maintaining its healthy roaster of digital programs and virtual exhibits.
SFMOMA and the deYoung, meanwhile, are doing members-only previews before allowing the public back in Saturday and Sunday.
Mark your calendars! We're thrilled to announce that we will reopen our doors on Thursday, Mar. 4! 🎉
— Asian Art Museum (@asianartmuseum) March 3, 2021
Enjoy art safely and visit https://t.co/ergGkG3d5P to learn more about our safety protocols and reserve your tickets.
Don't forget, join us on Mar. 7 for Free First Sundays! pic.twitter.com/72UQjXUQ29
“The Asian Art Museum offers new worlds to explore and, with every visit, provides a place of inspiration, insight, and, above all, community — whether you stop by on-site or online,” says Jay Xu, Barbara Bass Bakar Director and CEO of the Asian Art Museum, in a press release. “During a time of increased anti-Asian racism and violence, our exhibitions and programs demonstrate the necessity not just of visibility and representation, but of speaking out in the face of oppression and injustice.”
Museum-goers will need to buy their tickets in advance and reserve a time slot — all of which are spaced fifteen minutes apart — before entering; once inside, everyone must abide by safety guidelines proposed by the City and State, as well as the museum, that will help “enable comfortable convenient visits.”
Also: Admission will be free the first Sunday of every month, including Sunday, March 7, allowing everyone to visit the museum’s new exhibits, among which are meant to shine a light on Asian American “togetherness, hope, and resilience.”
“Our new contemporary installations provide the unique perspectives only artists can offer on subjects like togetherness, hope, and resilience,” Xu continues. “As one of our featured artists, Chanel Miller, says, ‘Art requires imagination, and imagination is the key ingredient to empathy.’ These are the values that will sustain us now and through the end of the pandemic.”
One such exhibit, “After Hope: Videos of Resistance,” offers an imaginative leap that depicts how we can create new, different worlds tied together by both unity and diversity. The museum describes the “joy, pleasure, and bravado” present in the multimedia experience (featuring some 54 short videos from over 60 creators) like a YouTube confessional video — an especially timely analogy, given how much time we’ve all spent on the platform these days.
More spaces across its two full floors have been recently renovated with new galleries including other large-scale exhibits like “Zheng Chongbin: I Look For the Sky,” “Memento: Jayashree Chakravarty,” and others.
“Our current program of temporary art exhibitions and special installations speak to this moment’s universal need for a change of pace and scenery, political and social engagement, and healing,” Xu concludes. “We can't wait to welcome you back.”
The Asian Art Museum is currently open Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Tuesday and Wednesday; the museum’s cafe will still remain closed.
For more information on how to plan your visit, as well as the COVID-19 protocols the museum is enforcing, click here.
Related: SFMOMA Reopens This Weekend With Pandemic-Themed Exhibit; deYoung Reopens With 'Calder-Picasso'
Image: Courtesy of Asian Art Museum
