Explore Art + Culture
Discover Art Stories
Art has the power to speak across boundaries of time and place to connect us to our past, present, and future. Choose a path of inquiry through themes, colors, or materials and techniques, and begin your investigation through our uniquely curated pages that tell the stories shared between works of art across our collections.
The perception of color can change dramatically depending on many factors: quality of light, how it was made, what medium it is on, and how it has aged. Perceptions of color can also be rooted in culture and traditions. Where do colors come from? what do they say? In what ways do colors influence how we navigate our surroundings, project our values, and inform our motivations? Select a palette to see colors in a whole new way.
There is no limit to the extraordinary materials and techniques used to create and give meaning to each object in our collections. How artists turn raw materials—clay, metals, minerals, and much more—into exquisite displays of form and function can seem magical. We invite you to take a closer look at common materials and techniques used across cultures throughout history.
For millennia, art has been a way to define how we perceive and inhabit the world around us. Look closely and you'll find overt and subtle connections between objects that speak to themes transcending time and place. Choose a subject to start drawing connections.
The Collections
With more than 46,000 objects dating from the Neolithic period to today, our collections’ strengths range from the arts of China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, the ancient Near East, and the Islamic world to nineteenth-century American art. Journey through time and place, communities and traditions, conflicts and periods of prosperity. Let your curiosity be your guide.
Browse the collections
More Ways to Explore
Have we piqued your interest? Find different ways of connecting with art and culture through digital experiences.
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Video
Looking for something to watch? Check out our video library to fuel your curiosity.
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Audio
Listen to lectures, conversations, and performances featuring artists, curators, and educators.
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Interactives
Feeling adventurous? Play around with the museum's interactive experiences and get inspired.
