On-site Tours
Enjoy some of the finest works of art on a free, docent-led tour and learn about commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Please visit the museum’s events calendar for details of all tours currently on offer.
Review our visitor policies and admission information before planning your visit.
Public Tour Topics

Freer Centennial Tours
Starting April 2, selected days; meet at the Freer information desk
When the Freer Gallery of Art opened to the public in 1923, it became the first art museum on the National Mall. Celebrate the next one hundred years of Asian art with docent-led tours that encourage you to view our permanent collections through founder Charles Lang Freer’s eyes. Enjoy themes like “The Freer and Whistler,” “Freer’s Legacy and Beyond,” “Journey of Color,” “Women of the Freer,” and other topics.

Special Exhibition Tour – Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings
Starting April 2, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, at 2:00 p.m.; meet at the Sackler information desk
Join a tour of the special exhibition Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings, featuring artworks excavated from the capital of the ancient Shang Dynasty (ca. 1250 BCE–ca. 1050 BCE), including jades and bronze vessels. Learn about the advanced technology of bronze casting, explore intricate and sophisticated designs of ritual objects, and discover famous “oracle bones.”

Permanent Collection Highlights Tour
Seven days a week at 1:00 p.m.; meet at the Freer information desk
Celebrate our museum’s centennial with a tour featuring Charles Lang Freer’s collection of Asian and American art. Join our docents on an interactive journey to explore the highlights of the museum’s outstanding collections, including the famous Peacock Room. No reservation needed.

Sketch & Discover Tour
11 a.m.–12 p.m., first Sunday of every month; meet at the Freer information desk
We read books about the art we love, and we can explore so many materials online. But how much time do we get to spend with objects in person? And how will we see those objects differently when we use a pencil and a sketchbook—not because we are artists but because sketching can help us see and understand art traditions and artworks in a different way?
Join docent Sushmita Mazumdar every first Sunday of the month as she guides you to use pencil and paper to consider the unique ideas and expressions of Asian artists from various traditions spanning the continent across centuries. All materials will be provided. No reservation needed.

Women of the Freer Tour
Selected days; 12:00 p.m., meet at the Freer information desk
The National Museum of Asian Art invites you to celebrate the women in our collection—ancient and modern, human, and divine. Prepared in conjunction with the museum’s centennial celebration, new docent-led tours will introduce you to influential women and their little-known stories. Please visit the museum’s event calendar for details.

Summer Family tour
Starting June 24, every fourth Saturday at 11:00 a.m., meet at the Freer information desk
Come and explore the National Museum of Asian Art through an interactive, docent-led tour designed just for families. Discover our permanent collections and temporary exhibitions through engaging and participatory activities, including sketching, storytelling, and more. Recommended for families with children ages 5 and up. No registration needed.