Programs & Events

2016 U.S.-China Museum Summit

The 2016 U.S.-China Museum Summit was jointly organized by the American Federation of Arts; Asia Society, New York; the Chinese Museums Association; and the Nanjing Museum. Museum professionals and cultural leaders from both countries convened in New York City to foster connections, reaffirm the commitment of working together on a long-term basis, explore opportunities for cultural exchange, and develop plans for ongoing collaboration. Participants engaged with each other in panel discussions, structured breakout sessions, networking meetings, and guided museum visits that allowed leaders from both countries to strengthen personal contacts and cultivate future collaborations. MORE

Programs & Events

2015 Arts & Museum Summit

The 2015 Arts & Museum Summit brought together museum and arts leaders from across Asia, the United States, and Europe to explore our responsibilities as stewards of culture. Through compelling keynote speeches and in-depth panel discussions, the two-day program probed the key ethical questions facing preservation and, through demonstrations, explored the technologies, methods, and practices used to keep traditions intact and relevant in the 21st century. MORE

Programs & Events

2014 U.S.-China Museum Leaders Forum

This forum gathered museum leaders from China and the United States to develop tangible and actionable projects that museums in each country could execute to promote better collaboration and exchange. The participants identified various benefits of museum exchanges, including: providing information and experiences to museum audiences; fostering tolerance and understanding between nations; and enhancing cultural competence in a globalized world. MORE

Programs & Events

2013 Arts & Museum Summit

This conference aimed to address a number of questions: What should museums of the twenty-first century look like? How should they display art and engage viewers? Is there a disruption taking place within current thought that should be addressed? There is no doubt that most museum growth in the next few decades will be in Asia. Bringing together museum leaders from across Asia, Europe, and the United States, the Summit explored the future of museums and outlined the challenges and opportunities in the cultural sector, the developing museum ecology in Asia, and opportunities for professional development and partnerships among museums. MORE

Programs & Events

2012 U.S.-China Museum Leaders Forum

This event, organized by Asia Society and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, brought together fifteen Chinese and fifteen U.S. museum leaders for a two-day dialogue to assess common needs and develop new processes for museum exchanges. They identified various benefits of museum exchanges, such as programs that provide information and experiences to museum audiences, foster tolerance and understanding between nations, and enhance cultural competence in a globalized world. MORE

Programs & Events

The Changing Landscape of Museums Today

On the occasion of the launch of the Asia Society Museum publication Making a Museum in the 21st CenturyRichard Armstrong, director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation; Melissa Chiu, director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; and Tom Finkelpearl, commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, gathered for a panel discussion on issues facing museums today. Moderated by Peggy Loar, interim vice president for global arts and culture and museum director, Asia Society. MORE

Programs & Events

U.S. and Chinese Museums and Their Communities 

In this public event, leaders from U.S. and Chinese museums discussed the role that museums play within their respective communities, addressing some fundamental and important questions: What do museum leaders in both countries feel a museum’s mission should be? What are a museum’s civic and social responsibilities? How do U.S. and Chinese museums aim to serve their public? Do these communities have different expectations for their museums? Do these expectations affect the way artwork is presented and interpreted? What are the methods used by museums in both countries to effectively engage their audiences? In the twenty-first century, how do museums make historical material relevant to visitors? This discussion was moderated by Boon Hui Tan, director of Asia Society Museum. MORE