Asian Art Museum

Reviews 4

BE

Bea Janelle

YES, POUND IT HARD AND FAST. I silently pray under my breath to those pounding the mochi. MOCHITSUKI After my eyes have been romanced by The Great Shiokata Senseis bad*ss live calligraphy performance, my ears are treated to the invigorating thrum of the beating taiko drums and the thumping of the wooden hammers (kine) on the soon-to-be-mochi sticky rice thats held inside the 400-year-old mortar (usu). Is it even humanly possibly to drum as fast as theyre going? I guess so because these highly talented taiko drummers increase their tempo, building up this thick tension in my heart, and their faces scrunch up like theyre doing an intense Insanity workout, but nevertheless still smiling the whole time, and in the heat of the moment after looking at their faces, I come to the conclusion that this feeling--of being wholly consumed by passion--is something I want to experience myself one day. Just for a second, tearing my gaze away from them, I look around at the other people in the room, and I see that they are just as spellbound as I am. Boom! My eyes snap back to them; their climax still reverberating in my bones, I watch as they work their magic to slowly put their taiko drums back to sleep. Along with the united rhythm of the acclaimed mochi group--Kagami Kai--my heartbeat too, calms down. I take a deep breath and exhale. Wow, just wow, is all I can think (well, besides eating that mochi later heh). It was truly an experience, and Im extremely grateful to have been able to be a part of their mochi pounding ceremony (mochitsuki). THE MOCHI The first bite (or chew) was *0* it is without a doubt, the best mochi ive ever had; it was so rich and the texture--oh god, yes (asmr trigger) And sorry Santos, but youre now 二番. Plus, this mochi has been through a lot: forcibly pounded and prodded by a ton of kids and adults, tossed like 7ish feet in the air, and then pinched apart into tiny balls. Yep. But it sure was bomb and uh, dont tell anyone, but I got a second serving--JS, it was only because there was a lot of extra mochi left and hey, its for good luck (goodness knows how much we need it for this year). FYIS/TIPS -Seniors (65+), college students (they do check your ID), and youth (13-17) get the discounted price of 10$ for general admission and 20$ for the special exhibitions. SFUSD students and children 12 and under get in for free. *Free for all every first Sunday of the month. -If youre planning on coming for an event like the mochitsuki, I highly recommend coming early so you can get a good spot in the Samsung hall, and by good spot I mean standing right behind the center row of chairs (your view wont be blocked at all). Btw, the mochitsuki event is free with gen admission. -Besides their paper maps, the Asian Art Museum has an interactive 3D touch screen map that even shows walking routes (how cool is that!?). -At the free coat check theyll give you a number tag after youve given them your coat/bag. Do NOT lose this. -If youre into books, I recommend checking out their store. -You can rent the whole museum for weddings, non-profit events, etc. Visit their website for more info. -When you get your ticket, only place the sticky part on your clothes, not the whole ticket (like I embarrassingly did). -If youre afraid of heights and are going to the 3rd floor, dont look down as youre walking across from the elevator (trust me). -Visit Cafe Asia and try their unique Adzuki almond cookie ice-cream! -If youve looked at the museums logo you may have noticed that their logo is an upside-down "A"--why is that? The creator, Wolf Ollins, says that it "signifies their commitment to offer a fresh and creative perspective on a collection spanning 6,000 years...[and] As the mathematical symbol for all, the logo also tells the world that the museum has something to say and something to show." Just thought that was an interesting tidbit to add. (-: Drop by the Asian Art Museum for some pounding action--er, Mochi pounding action that is.

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LA

Lauren Milton

My visit to this museum was very nice until the end. My husband and I are visiting San Francisco for a conference he is attending. While hes at the conference, Ive been sight-seeing on my own. Today I walked from Grant all the way down Market to get to this museum. I passed through a rather sketchy area where I wasnt entirely comfortable and almost turned around. I paid my $12, was given a map and a sticker, and instructed to head to the third floor. The third and second floors were wonderful. Absolutely beautiful art. Then I got to the first floor and entered one of the exhibits. After a few minutes of a guard hovering near me and making me uncomfortable, he finally asked to see my members sticker. I showed him the sticker I had paid $12 for. He then proceeded to inform me that I was in a members only area and that if I wanted to go purchase a membership, I would then be allowed to look at that exhibit. I told him that I was not going to be purchasing any membership because I dont live here and left. I looked around the area outside that exhibit and on the map and did not see any signs indicating that you had to have a membership to view the first floor exhibits. The people at the desk hadnt told me either. So as someone from out of town who will probably not be returning to San Francisco, I was not allowed to view those exhibits. He wasnt rude about it but after the stress of getting lost trying to find the museum and worrying for my safety along the way, it was enough to bring me to tears. It would have been nice if someone had warned me or if there had been clear signage indicating that I was not allowed to enter that room. Instead, I left embarrassed and with a bad taste in my mouth. There should be some sort of option for people like me who are not going to buy a membership for a museum in a city they dont live in but who would still like to see the entire museum. And the people selling the tickets definitely need to be clear about there being exhibits that are off-limits. It is a lovely collection and definitely worth seeing but be aware that your $12 admission only allows you to see floors 2 and 3.

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SA

Sarina L

开眼！战乱年代，中国的文物就惨遭大量掠夺，再加上贪婪的文物盗窃抢劫，很多文物被破坏，流失民间。文物的非法买卖在中国和美国都很严重。能晚年开悟，豁达的把藏品捐给博物馆的藏家们，还属少数。 那些超沉超大的石雕，都不知道曾经是怎样被藏家们从亚洲带来的！还有这些东周-汉朝时期的青铜器，年代久远！做工精细，秦代的陶俑也栩栩如生，保存完整！ 各种由历史原因流落至此， 或各地藏家的曾私人持有，后捐献的宝贵文物，所让我嘆為觀止，充分了解亚洲作为世界上第一大洲，多种多样的文化艺术，和悠远的历史。 希望美国能帮助中国防止文化遗产的流失，落实联合国《文化遗产保护公约》。推进国际文物管理体制的改革。让更多百姓饱览历史长河中璀璨的人类文明。 （联合国《文化遗产保护公约》，根据这个公约，一个签约国可以要求另一签约国限制文物的进口。中美两国于2009年1月14日签署了《中美限制进口中国文物谅解备忘录》，美国政府将对列入“指定清单”的中国文物实施进口限制。）

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JE

Jerome Fried

Always the classic site to be sought, museums are an interesting place to find out more about local culture, custom, and interest. The Bay Area is packed with such locations, and the Asian Art Museum, in Civic Center is not to be missed. A large, expansive courtyard in front of the building opens to Civic Center Plaza, where you can also find the Central Library, The Federal Courthouse, City Hall, the Boll Graham Auditorium, the Opera, War Memorial, Law Library, and so many other attractions, it might be hard to bring yourself to go in. Nevertheless, once inside, many tranquil exhibits beckon your attention. The Terra Cotta Warriors were the featured exhibit the day we decided to go, and they were amazing, to understate it. The collection was on display throughout three buildings, among other ancient Asian treasures that marked many different eras throughout history, you can almost trace the development of the culture from times in the Chin Dynasty to modern day San Francisco and beyond. Also included are exhibits from near Asia, such as Iran, Iraq, India, and many others. Examples of carved jade, ceramics and pottery, and jewelry all accompany each exhibit - a very informative and exciting tour. Audio headsets are available for a guided version, but after a while, we decided to wander and find things for ourselves. All in all, a very satisfying, educational, and FUN way to spend a few hours. Highly recommended.

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