Seattle Asian Art Museum
Museum Museum in Seattle specializing in Asian art
The Seattle Asian Art Museum, in Volunteer Park, houses the Seattle Art Museum’s Asian collection; visitors see ceramics, sculpture and historic artworks and attend rotating exhibitions and programs.
The Seattle Asian Art Museum is a branch of the Seattle Art Museum located in Volunteer Park on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. The museum occupies a purpose-built classical/Art Deco building that dates to 1933.
The museum presents displays of Asian art across multiple cultures and periods and hosts rotating special exhibitions drawn from the museum’s collections and loans. The building’s galleries are compact compared with SAM’s downtown campus, creating a focused experience within the park setting.
The building opened in 1933 and served as the original Seattle Art Museum site; it later became the dedicated Asian Art Museum branch. The facility underwent a multi-year renovation and modernization project and reopened in early 2020.
Sited on a hill within Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, the museum sits beside the park conservatory and reservoir and is a short walk from neighborhood streets and transit connections into central Seattle.
- Building: Housed in the historic 1933 museum building on a hill in Volunteer Park, the site is a dedicated branch of the Seattle Art Museum focused on Asian art and exhibitions.
- Setting: Located adjacent to the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the park's lawn and lookout, making the combination of park and galleries a common visit for museum-goers.
How to Get to Seattle Asian Art Museum #
From downtown Seattle, take the Metro bus lines that run up to Capitol Hill or the light rail to Capitol Hill station and then a short bus or walk to Volunteer Park. Street parking is limited; public transit or rideshare is recommended.
Tips for Visiting Seattle Asian Art Museum #
- Check whether temporary exhibitions are housed in the Asian Art Museum building - special exhibitions can close galleries to the public.
- Combine a visit with a walk through Volunteer Park and the nearby conservatory to experience Seattle's green spaces.
- Look for docent‑led tours or gallery talks; the museum's galleries are compact and talks add context.
Best Time to Visit Seattle Asian Art Museum #
Best in spring or autumn for pleasant park weather and moderate museum crowds.
Weather & Climate near Seattle Asian Art Museum #
Seattle Asian Art Museum's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Mediterranean - Warm-Summer Mediterranean climate with mild summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in December). Temperatures range from 2°C to 24°C. Abundant rainfall (1063 mm/year), wettest in December.
January
January is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C. Significant rainfall (145 mm).
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February
February is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of 2°C. Significant rainfall (113 mm).
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March
March is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 3°C. Significant rainfall (111 mm).
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April
April is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (78 mm).
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May
May is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (51 mm).
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June
June is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (44 mm).
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July
July is mild with highs of 24°C and lows of 12°C. The driest month with just 26 mm.
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August
August is the warmest month with highs of 24°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (32 mm).
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September
September is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (48 mm).
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October
October is cool with highs of 15°C and lows of 6°C. Regular rainfall (91 mm).
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November
November is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of 4°C. Significant rainfall (156 mm).
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December
December is the coolest month with highs of 7°C and lows of 2°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (168 mm).
