Over the past year, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art deepened its role as a platform for cultural exchange, education, and community connection, engaging more than 3,000 audience members and extending its reach well beyond the museum walls. Through a robust slate of over 50 programs—including celebrations, workshops, classes, lectures, and roundtables—the museum fostered meaningful learning, dialogue, and participation across generations and communities.

A major milestone this year was the launch of our first Asian and African American cultural exchange, centered on textiles and storytelling. This initiative has since evolved into an ongoing series, Stitching Stories, which brings people from diverse backgrounds together through art, performance, and shared experiences. Throughout the year, we worked with artists and scholars from more than 20 ethnic and racial backgrounds and collaborated with over 15 partner organizations. We remain deeply committed to cross-cultural engagement and collective storytelling. We believe that only through collaboration, we can be stronger together.

In 2025, we presented 6 exhibitions spanning traditional artifacts to contemporary artistic expression. For us, it is essential to connect tradition to everyday experience—heritage does not exist only in the past, but remains alive and evolving through our collective acts of inheritance, preservation, and renewal. Looking ahead, we already have 12 exhibitions planned for 2026, guided by a mission to connect past and present through visual art, performance, and storytelling

Education and access remained central to our mission throughout 2025. We supported 12 youth interns, providing individualized, hands-on projects designed to foster creative development, professional skills, and leadership capacity. Interns worked closely with museum staff and artists, gaining exposure to real-world museum practice while developing confidence, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of cultural stewardship.

Building on this foundation, we plan to expand internship opportunities in 2026 across a wider range of museum operations—including programming, archiving, marketing, and visitor experience—creating clearer pathways for young people to explore careers in the arts and cultural sector.

It is crucial to our work to build bridges that help our audiences understand Asian art and culture and to offer accessible pathways for engagement. In 2025, we hosted more than 30 tours for students, seniors, and members of the general public—more than doubling our tour offerings compared to 2024. These tours provided tailored, interactive experiences that encouraged close looking, dialogue, and intergenerational exchange, reinforcing the museum’s role as an accessible educational resource for diverse communities. Building on this momentum, we plan to extend our capacity in 2026 to welcome even more audiences through expanded tours and educational offerings.

As we close the year, we are grateful for all the artists, partners, educators, supporters, and community members who made this work possible. We look forward to bringing more art, culture, shared experiences, and excitement in 2026.

We look forward to seeing you all at the museum!