From May 1 to May 14, 2023, the National Museum of Asian Art marks its centennial by hosting the inaugural Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Festival. The museum and its surroundings on the National Mall will celebrate Asian arts and cultures with keynote speakers, headline performers, interactive experiences, culinary adventures and community projects.
This cornerstone of the centennial programming is the first such major festival celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month organized by the museum.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching and interpreting art in ways that deepen our collective understanding of Asia and the world. Home to more than 45,000 objects, the museum stewards one of North America’s largest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Islamic world.
Below is a full schedule of events for the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Festival with dates, times and locations. All events are free and open to the public. The headliner concerts on May 13 require advance ticket for admission into the Arts & Industries building.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| 5/1/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Freer in Egypt | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/1/2023 | 11:45am-12:15pm | Conservation Cart Talk: Freer in Egypt | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/1/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Performance: Del Sol Quartet, A Dust in Time | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Flex Space |
| 5/1/2023 | 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Cooking Class: Kimchi-Making with Tae-Gu Kimchi | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Flex Space |
| 5/2/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Ancient Yemen | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/2/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Concert in the Courtyard: Arushi Jain | Freer Gallery of Art Courtyard |
| 5/2/2023 | 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Performance: Del Sol Quartet, Angel Island Oratorio | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/3/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Calligraphy in Japan | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/3/2023 | 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Performance: Omar Offendum and Ronnie Malley | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/4/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Unstill Waters | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| 5/4/2023 | 2 p.m.–2:30 p.m. | Conservation Cart Talk: Peacock Room | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/4/2023 | 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | K-Pop Dance Class with Xuejuan Dance Ensemble | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Flex Space |
| 5/5/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Arts of the Islamic World | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/5/2023 | 3 p.m.–7 p.m. | Freer Plaza: NMAA × SAMASAMA Art Market | Freer Gallery of Art Plaza |
| 5/5/2023 | 4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. | Freer Plaza: DJ set w/ Coupler | Freer Gallery of Art Plaza |
| 5/5/2023 | 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Film Program: A Page of Madness with live accompaniment by Coupler | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/6/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Ay-Ō’s Happy Rainbow Hell | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/6/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Panel: Local APA Creator Talk with Linh Truong, Amjaad Al Hussain and others | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/6/2023 | 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Performance: Spilling Ink Divine Vessels: Exploring Space through Indian Classical Dance & Music | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/6/2023 | 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Film Program: Romance of a Fruit Peddler and Romance of the Western Chamber with live accompaniment by Min Xiao-fen and River Guerguerian | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/7/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: American Art | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/7/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m. | Curator-Led Family Tour: A Splendid Land, Animal Odyssey | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/7/2023 | 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Family Dance Class with Xuejuan Dance Ensemble | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Flex Space |
| 5/7/2023 | 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: A Splendid Land | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/7/2023 | 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Film Screening and Panel: 38 at the Garden | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/8/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/9/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Arts of the Islamic World | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/9/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Concert in the Courtyard: Chromic Duo | Freer Gallery of Art Courtyard |
| 5/9/2023 | 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Performance: NMAA’s Birthday Bash Immersive Concert with Chromic Duo | Freer Gallery of Art Courtyard |
| 5/10/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Japanese Art | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/10/2023 | 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | Bollywood Dance Class with Spilling Ink | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Flex Space |
| 5/10/2023 | 6:30 p.m. –8 p.m. | Panel: Fireside Chat with Angela Killoren and Jerry Won | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| 5/11/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Gallery 13 (Chinese Art) | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/12/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/12/2023 | 12 p.m.–1 p.m | Performance by Xuejuan Dance Ensemble | Freer Gallery of Art Plaza |
| 5/12/2023 | 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | Artist Talk: Atul Bhalla, Unstill Waters | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/12/2023 | 7 p.m.–9 p.m. | Freer Plaza: Dance Party with DJ 2-Tone | Freer Gallery of Art Plaza |
| 5/13/2023 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. | Curator-Led Gallery Tour: Gallery 15 (Chinese Art) | Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/13/2023 | TBC | Family program: Eva Chen I Am Golden Reading & Book Signing | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
| 5/13/2023 | 12 p.m.–4:30 p.m. | Festival Finale Onstage Performances, featuring music, dance, and dialogue | Freer Gallery of Art Plaza / Arts & Industries Building |
| 5/13/2023 | 12 p.m.–4:30 p.m. | THE REDEYE Market | Arts & Industries Building |
| 5/13/2023 | 6:30 p.m. –10 p.m. | Headliner Concert: Raveena and Eric Nam | Arts & Industries Building |
| 5/14/2023 | 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | Spark Studio Mother’s Day Jewelry Pop-Up | Arthur M. Sackler Gallery |
| 5/14/2023 | 12 p.m.–2 p.m. | Food Demo + Book Signing: Petty Pandean Elliott’s The Indonesian Table | Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art |
By Chadd Scott
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