The Freer and Sackler Art Galleries on the National Mall are fantastic resources when studying about Asia. These two museums are connected underground so it is really like visiting one place which makes logistics easier. A visit to these museums would be more general in terms of countries but you could focus on a specific country and only highlight those exhibits. For instance, there is an incredible exhibit right now in the Sackler about Buddha with shrines from Tibet and other areas. You could also visit the exhibit that deals specifically with Ankor in Cambodia. The cool thing here is that it is not about quantity of things to see but more importantly about slowing down to really understand how the art objects relate to your unit of study.
You can call to request a tour of the museum and make sure that you explain what you are studying so that a docent may be able to highlight those items for you. Don't neglect doing your own homework though since you will need to make sure that this visit is tied directly to your own studies...so go down there and create a scavenger hunt related to exactly what you are studying. If all else fails check into ImaginAsia to see if you can schedule a hands on class that will enable your students to make items related to some of the exhibits on display. This is a great resource which will help students look at Asian Art in a more in-depth way. The ImaginAsia classroom is underground in the Sackler and sometimes open to families on the weekends and during weekdays. Just follow the link below to learn more about tours of the museums and contact info to ask about the availability of ImaginAsia.
Contact Info:
Freer Gallery of Art
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 707
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
202.633.1000
202.357.4911 (fax)
www.asia.si.edu/education/tours.htm
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