Asian Art Affinity Group

Mia’s renowned collection of Asian art represents 17 cultures spanning nearly 5,000 years. Best known for the size and quality of its Chinese and Japanese collections, it also has important examples of Indian, Southeast Asian, Korean, Himalayan, and Islamic art.

The museum acquired its first Asian objects several years before it formally opened in 1915, and it has continued to build its diverse Asian collections—through acquisitions and gifts—ever since. Founded in 1977, the Department of Asian Art now oversees over 12,000 objects, including sculptures, paintings, ceramics, furniture, lacquers, jades, and woodblock prints. Its recent acquisition of a  17th-century suit of armor owned by a Japanese warlord made worldwide news.
 
Learn more about our Japanese and Korean Art department

Learn more about our Chinese South and Southeast Asian Art department