Arts of Asia and the Islamic World

The Chinese gallery at the Museum features more than 100 objects that cover more than five thousand years of Chinese culture and civilization, from neolithic times to the present. Current interest focuses on China’s diversity as well as its cultural and artistic connections with neighbors. Many objects also demonstrate the ways in which Chinese culture has, throughout history, looked back at earlier traditions as a sign of enduring respect for the past.

Korean culture is often presented in connection with China and other East Asian cultures. The Brooklyn Museum’s presentation of its Korean collection emphasizes Korea’s unique traditions, culture, and aesthetics.

Japanese art forms the largest area within the Asian art collection at the Brooklyn Museum. In addition to the traditional arts of Japan, the galleries include a section devoted to contemporary Japanese ceramics by renowned masters and the younger generation of artists who are currently active in Japan. Japanese folk art is represented, as is a selection of artifacts from our renowned collection of Ainu culture.

The South Asian collection includes works from cultures defined by their geographical proximity t