Gardner Center events explore the vast diversity of Asia and its presence in the world. From history and culture to global development and urban design, we exchange ideas that include dialogue on challenging contemporary issues. We also invite you to experience a range of artistic expression related to Asia.

Founded in 2009 by Mimi Gardner Gates, the Gardner Center is currently overseen by SAM’s Asian art curatorial team in collaboration with colleagues in the museum’s Education & Public Engagement department. This ongoing program shares a variety of perspectives and builds on our region’s longstanding ties with Asia.

The Gardner Center has long-term partnerships with the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington and the Elliott Bay Book Company.

Learn more about today's Seattle Asian Art Museum.

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Delve into new themes every season with a different speaker each week. Challenging, thought-provoking, and sometimes surprising, this long-running and always popular lecture series incorporates audience discussion as experts from around the world join us to share their insights on Asia throughout time.

“
Expanded my world view tremendously.
”

–PAST ATTENDEE

Architecture of Asia: Sacred spaces and Cultural Landscapes

The upcoming series will take place monthly, September 10, 2022 through June 10, 2023. Through nine lectures we'll explore various forms of architecture, including sacred spaces, ecological landscapes, and other built typologies across Asia. With reference to diverse histories across South Asia, and East Asia, and the Middle East, each lecture will invite participants to consider how the built environment shapes cultural practice, alters environments, and provides refuge in people’s lives.

The series will explore three sub-themes within architecture in Asia: Architecture as emancipation and commemoration, Urban spaces, and Ecological Landscapes.

Image: Water temple (Shingonshu Honpukuji) by Tadao Ando, built in 1990-1991, Awaji, Hyōgo, Japan. image credit: GFG design & art via flicker

Writers, artists, community members, non-profit leaders and others engaged with Asia share their ideas, work, and experiences. Talks are dedicated to encounters across cultures—within Asia, between Asia and the rest of the world, and within the museum.

Taking inspiration from the thematic reinstallation of the Asian art collection at the newly renovation Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Asia Talks program supports new views on the vast diversity of Asia and arts of Asia’s past and present. Think beyond current national borders as we consider places and people within Asia and its diasporas in talks ranging from authors producing great writing from and about Asia, to local women from South Asia discussing family jewelry traditions, to a daylong session on a single Asian art form.

COMING UP​

From classics and documentaries to great yet lesser-known contemporary feature films, films of Asia and its diasporas are screened in the Seattle Asian Art Museum auditorium.​​​

COMING UP​

Contemporary, traditional, hybrid, international, and local performing artists share their talents at the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

As part of our ongoing partnership with Tasveer, we host annual spring performances of Yoni Ki Baat, with a new production of performers’ stories in this South Asian women’s version of The Vagina Monologues.

In summer, our free World Music Series takes place outdoors in Volunteer Park on Friday evenings.

COMING UP​