After a year of renovation, the Smithsonian's Freer-Sackler Galleries will re-open with IlluminAsia: a festival of Asian art, food, and cultures.
Founded in 1923, the Freer Gallery of Art is one of the oldest museums in the area -- connected by an underground passageway to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, which first opened in 1987. After a year of much-needed remodeling, the two museums will re-open on October 14 and 15 with the IlluminAsia festival, co-presented by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 14 -- 5 p.m.–12 a.m. | Sunday, Oct. 15 -- 11 a.m.–5 p.m. WHERE: Freer Gallery of Art / Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C.) Highlighting the long-awaited re-opening of these incredibly rich and diverse museums, IlluminAsia will feature art, entertainment, and a food market, along with an animated projection on the Freer Gallery Façade.’ [gallery size="medium" columns="2" ids="4564,4563"] Open to everyone, the free event will transform the area with new museum exhibits, beautiful garden sculptures, and cultural programming for all ages. Weather permitting, the festival will be held outdoors. For a full listing of festival music events and performers, click here. For other additional information about the IlluminAsia festival, visit the event's website. Looking for more info about the newly renovated museums? Curriculum guides, lesson plans, classroom posters, and other resources for teachers and educators can be found here. And to view the Freer-Sackler Galleries' online collections, click here.
What's your favorite Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.? Are you excited that the Freer-Sackler is re-opening? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
