foodie's » San Francisco, CA

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A visit to the Asian Art Museum is like touring Asia without jet lag. Arranged by country, the permanent collection starts with India, meanders eastward and ends with Japan. The order reflects a major theme, the spread of Buddhism across the Asian world. But you don’t need to know that to enjoy seeing the art. Look for the sinuous temple carvings in the India and Southeast Asia collections, and the wonderful, mysterious religious paintings from Tibet. The Chinese huge bronze vessels, easily large enough to bathe a baby, seem incredibly modern, but are 4,000 years old. An entire teahouse has been constructed in the Japanese section, where you may be served whisked green tea in a formal ceremony. There are also changing exhibits, which may be installations by contemporary Chinese artists, paintings from 18th-century Kyoto or contemporary Korean ceramics. The building itself rates a visit. It was once the San Francisco main library, which has moved to a new building across the plaza. Italian architect Gae Aulenti, famed for converting a train station to the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, designed the Asian Art Museum within the shell of the old Beaux Arts library building.

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