Friends of Asian Art
The Friends of Asian Art brings together individuals from around the world who have a serious interest in the arts of China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas in order to support the acquisitions and activities of the Department of Asian Art and to foster a wider appreciation and understanding of Asian cultures. The Friends enjoy scholarly programs throughout the year, including curatorial seminars, exhibition viewings, guest talks, and close examination of artworks and techniques represented in the Asian Art collection. Acquisitions purchased with the support of Friends of Asian Art funds are presented at the Friends annual meeting and dinner.
Annual Dues: $12,000 (a portion of dues is tax-deductible)
Under-Forty Annual Dues: $6,000 (a portion of dues is tax-deductible)
For information regarding the Friends of Asian Art, please contact Mickey Hyun at 212 570 3836 or faa@metmuseum.org.
Friends of Asian Art also receive corresponding benefits of a Patron Membership at The Met, including:
- free, express admission to all of The Met's locations with up to four accompanied guests;
- special access to the collection and new exhibitions during Morning Hours, Preview Days, Evening Receptions, and The Met After Hours;
- invitations to Members-only events, concerts, and curator talks;
- access to the Members-only spaces in the Museum;
- 10% discount on all public restaurants and venues at The Met, The Met Cloisters, and The Met Store;
- subscriptions to the What's On calendar and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin; and
- reciprocal benefits at sixteen museums nationwide.
Highlights of Past Events
- Annual black-tie dinner with curatorial presentations of recent acquisitions made with Friends support
- Private curatorial tours of the exhibitions Anxiety and Hope in Japanese Art (2024); Lineages: Korean Art at the Met (2024); and Indian Skies: The Howard Hodgkin Collection of Indian Court Painting (2024)
- Special preview in the Asian Art storeroom of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics in Historical Context, followed by a reception with the collectors at a private home
- A curatorial discussion on the aesthetic, technical, and cultural achievement of Chinese enamel wares by the transformative role of enamel during the Ming and Qing dynasties in a tour of Embracing Color: Enamel in Chinese Decorative Arts, 1300-1900
- Private storeroom viewing and curatorial discussion on rediscovered treasures in The Met’s collection featuring works of Chinese and Japanese lacquers
- "An Inside Look at Textiles: Conservation and Care," featuring conservators from the Department of Textile Conservation and the Antonio Ratti Textile Center
Above: After Xie Huan (Chinese, 1377–1452). Elegant Gathering in the Apricot Garden (detail), ca. 1437. China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Handscroll; ink and color on silk; 14 5/8 x 95 3/4 in. (37.1 x 243.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1989 (1989.141.3)