Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology at Peking University, Beijing, China
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler expressed his interest in helping China preserve its rich cultural heritage by offering to provide a teaching museum incorporating all elements of modern museology, such as modern display techniques, climate control, conservation facilities, storage and security, as well as a training program for archaeologists and museologists. Discussions about the construction of such a museum were officially entered into in 1984 with the Secretary General of Peking University, Mr. Wen Zhong. Peking University is the logical choice for the museum because of its extensive archaeological collection and because it has been a leader in training Chinese archaeologists since the nineteen-thirties.
A Declaration of Intent was signed by Dr. Sackler and Dr. Ding Shisun, then President of Peking University, to build the museum, on September 8, 1986, the day of the groundbreaking ceremony. The actual construction of the museum and the completion of the museum project had been overseen by Dr. Sackler’s widow, Jillian Sackler.
The new museum is located on a beautiful site near the West Gate of Peking University campus and its architecture takes the inspiration from buildings that already exist on campus. The firm of Prentice & Chan, Ohlhausen, of New York City, was hired to design the museum in July, 1986, with Lo-yi Chan, working closely with the Peking University staff and in consultation with Dr. Sackler, as the supervising architect for the project. The new museum was designed to conform to Ming Dynasty style structures, around a central courtyard.
In May 1987, Jillian Sackler, on behalf of the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities, signed an additional agreement that provided for the expansion of the project to include the extensive but long abandoned gardens that lay to the west of the site. These had formerly been part of the grounds of Yuanming Yuan, the Old Summer Palace, that had been destroyed in 1860, and were called the Singing Crane Gardens. These gardens have been beautifully restored and provide a future site for the placement of sculpture to create The Jillian Sackler Sculpture Garden.
The Opening Ceremonies took place on May 23, 1993, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and festivities including an indoor/outdoor gala dinner with traditional cuisine from China, Japan, the Middle East and The United States of America.
In honor of the occasion, a four-day scholarly conference, titled Chinese Archaeology Enters the Twenty-first Century took place from May 28 through May 31, 1993. This was the first meeting of Eastern and Western archaeologists in decades. It served as a forum to discuss new scholarship and advances in the field of Chinese art and archaeology, and to set the agenda for future collaborative research in Chinese archaeology. Archaeologists from the United States, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and Singapore were invited to participate with colleagues from all regions of China. The conference, which over one-hundred scholars attended, was conducted in Chinese and English and ended with a special visit to an archaeological site within the vicinity of Beijing. It was sponsored by the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities, and co-organized with the Department of Archaeology of Peking University. The publication of this conference, entitled “Proceedings of the International Conference on ‘Chinese Archaeology Enters the Twenty-first Century’“ is available through this site.
HISTORY OF THE COLLECTION AT PEKING UNIVERSITY
The collection of Chinese art and artifacts currently housed in this new museum on the campus of Peking University contains more than 10,000 objects and spans a period of 280,000 years, from Paleolithic hominids and stone tool remains to costumes, ceramics and paintings of the present era. The collection, which is used for teaching and research purposes, has been acquired during the past seventy years from diverse sources.
In 1922 China’s first Archaeology Research Office was set up at Peking University. The office launched a fieldwork program, and through this program Peking University gradually began to build a collection of archaeological remains. A few years later together with the creation of the Peking University Museum, a special museum training course was created. At this time, in addition to excavated artifacts, the museum’s collections expanded to include antiquities from the antiquity market, and ethnographic materials.
In 1952 Peking University moved to its current location in the Haidian District on the outskirts of Beijing. In doing so it moved onto the campus of the former Yanjing University, an American college established in 1920 which closed its doors shortly after 1949. A Prehistory Museum at Yanjing University, with its own collections, had also existed there. After 1952, its collections were transferred to the newly formed Archaeology Division at Peking University.
Since 1952 the archaeologists at Peking University have continually added to their collection through their extensive fieldwork program. In 1983, when the Archaeology Division acquired full department status, they further expanded their fieldwork activities. Archaeologists from Peking University have worked all over China, but they have concentrated their research on sites in the Central Plains and the north. They have excavated in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Liaoning, Xinjiang, Shandong, Hubei and Jiangxi.
With the creation of the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art & Archaeology at Peking University, the collections have grown even more through the generous loans and gifts made by archaeological institutions from all over China. These contributions have been made to celebrate the opening of this new museum which is expected to play an important role in the field of Chinese archaeology and museology.
Exhibitions
Permanent Exhibition
A permanent Exhibit on Chinese Archaeology, dating from 280,000 years ago to the 17th century. Objects on display include Bronzes, Jades, Pottery, and Bone artifacts. These objects were either excavated by the students and staff from the Archaeology Department, collections from Yanjing University and Peking University, and loans from other archaeological institutions in China.
Special Exhibition
The Treasure of He Jiacun
The Jinniushan Man, dates from 280,000 years ago.
The Changdao Neolithic Settlement of 5000-4000 years ago.
Artifacts from the cemetery of the Jin State, Western Zhou Dynasty, 11 Century BC
International Exhibitions
The Dame Jillian Sackler International Artists Exhibition Program was established to bring talented international artists to the Sackler Museum at Beida. Artwork for this program must have cultural value in order to create an open dialogue between the work and the viewer. It is our mission to have exhibitions that are informative, exciting, interactive and most of all thought-provoking. The aim of this program is to create cross-cultural understanding and promote lasting relationships between peoples by bringing works by artists from diverse backgrounds to China.
Visiting Hours
Opens Daily
9:00am to 4:30pm (except holidays)
Free Admission
Visitors should go to the West Gate of the University and tell the guards that they would like to see the museum. (Please bring your passport with you, you may be asked to fill out a form and the passport number is required.)
If visiting in a group, in China, please contact Vice-Director Cao Hong (86-10-6276-5711) or Dr. Lu (86-10-6275-7151), via fax at (86-10-6275-1667), in the U.S. contact the Dame Jillian & Dr. Arthur M. Sackler Foundation for the Arts, Sciences & Humanities (AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities) via e-mail: info at sackler.org / amsfash at aol.com
★ The Museum offers English, Japanese & Chinese tours by request.
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- Mrs. Sackler, Dr. Sackler, Dr. Ding Shisun and U.S. Ambassador Winston Lord
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- Signing of the Agreement
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- Mrs. Sackler presents first payment to President Ding Shisun in September, 1986
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- Dr. Jean Mayer, U.S. Amb. Winston Lord, Mrs. Sackler, Dr. Sackler, Minister Qian Xinzhong
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- Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology at Peking University, Beijing, China
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- Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology at Peking University, Beijing, China
The Jillian and Arthur M. Sackler Wing of Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Opened June 10, 1991 by Queen Elizabeth II, the Jillian and Arthur M. Sackler Wing of Galleries was an historic landmark for the Royal Academy of Arts. Designed by Norman Foster Associates, their ingenious solution to the Academy’s need for fully equipped modern exhibition galleries and improved public access and circulation, is equalled by sensitivity to the original 18th century and 19th century design and fabric of Burlington House. The Sackler Wing consists of three galleries for temporary loan exhibitions, a sculpture gallery to display work by Royal Academicians and a special gallery for the Taddei Tondo by Michelangelo.
The Royal Academy in London was established under Royal Charter from King George III in 1768. The United Sates was still a colony, and American Benjamin West was the second President of the RA (Sir Joshua Reynolds being the first). The Academy consisted of the leading artists and architects of the day who were invited to join and submit one or more “Diploma” works, which form the RA art collection, including works by Constable, Turner and modern masters such as Hockney and Gormley. Sir Hugh Casson (PRA 1976 to 1984) met Arthur and Jillian Sackler in 1982 at the Edinburgh Festival, where Jillian was chair of the International Committee, and Arthur was sponsoring a conference on Museums in the 21st Century. Sir Hugh invited them to lunch at the RA to see the old Diploma Galleries, at the top of Burlington House, which he wanted to modernize and introduce air conditioning, humidity control and good lighting. They declined unless access could be improved. Foster rang Sackler to say there was a gap of 15 feet between the Georgian and Victorian buildings, and he could build a “wing” between, with a glass elevator and “floating” staircase. Sackler suggested using the pediment of the Victorian building for a sculpture ledge, which would widen the Gallery at eye level, and Foster immediately agreed to the improvement.
The former Diploma Galleries, stripped back to the original brickwork, were completely remodelled. A uniform floor-level was established improving access and circulation around the galleries, and the Victorian grills removed. Full environmental controls, a prerequisite for major international loan exhibitions, were installed to control temperature and humidity levels and air movement. The old galleries have been transformed into an elegant exhibition space in which the safe conservation of even the most fragile works of art can be guaranteed.
Due to Sackler’s untimely death, his widow went ahead with the project. The Sackler Wing of Galleries was named “Building of the Year 1992” by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Visiting Hours
Opening Hours
Saturday – Thursday: 10am – 6pm
(last admission to galleries 5.30pm)
Friday: 10am – 10pm
(last admission to galleries 9.30pm)
Ticket Office open
Saturday-Thursday: 10am – 5.30pm Friday: 10am – 9.30pm
Opening times for the John Madejski Fine Rooms may vary
Easter weekend 2014 opening times
Friday 18 April: 10am – 6pm
Saturday, Sunday and Monday: Open as usual 10am – 6pm
For more information please call 020 7300 8000
Piccadilly site
Burlington House, Piccadilly
London W1J 0BD
Burlington Gardens site
6 Burlington Gardens
London W1S 3ET
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
The Smithsonian Institution is the national cultural center of the United States. By 1980, the Smithsonian consisted of nine museums, several scientific laboratories, the zoo, and the planetarium (in conjunction with Harvard).
Sackler collected American, European, Pre-Columbian, Ancient Near Eastern and Asian art, including the largest private collection of Chinese art in the west. The Secretary of the Smithsonian, Dillon Ripley, approached Sackler in 1979 asking for objects for the new national museum of Asian art. When Sackler agreed to give the choice of almost 1,000 objects, it was agreed to name the new museum for him. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery opened on September 27, 1987.
A new museum of Asian Art was needed because although the Freer Gallery of Art contained magnificent Asian art, Freers’ bequest specified nothing could be lent or borrowed. Consequently the Freer could not operate as a modern museum. The new museum would be located next to the Freer and connected by underground galleries. Both the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and its twin, the National Museum of African Art, would be mostly underground, so as not to overshadow the Smithsonian Castle. This was the first large underground museum project on in the world. The architects, Jean Paul Carlhian of Shepley, Bullfinch, Richard and Abbott, called in Dutch engineers to “float” the foundations due to the high water table in Washington, DC
Collection
Head of Bodhisattva, 3rd-5th century.
53 x 36.8 x 33.6 cm
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC
Exhibitions
Alice Kandell Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC
Special Events
Alice Kandell Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC
Visiting Hours
Location
1050 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC Metro Station
Metro Station
Smithsonian (Mall or Independence Ave. exit )
Information
202-633-1000 (voice/tape)
info@si.edu
Free Admission
Hours 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. daily
Closed December 25
Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University, Boston, MA
This free-standing new museum, designed by architects James Stirling and Michael Wilford, opened in 1985. Skillfully planned for a constricted site near Harvard Yard, across from the Fogg Museum on Quincy Street, the Arthur M. Sackler Museum was built to house art from the Eastern and Western worlds pre 1200 AD.
Harvard University’s Fogg Museum was established before 1900, moved to a new building on Quincy Street in 1927, and became the premier university museum in the United States for the teaching of art. Its choice holdings, mostly gifts from alumni, could compare with all but the most exceptional museums in the world. However, by the 1970s the building was run down and there was no space to present the superb Asian art, kept in storage. Seymour Slive, Gleason Professor of Fine Art and Director of the Fogg Museum, asked Arthur Sackler for a donation to house the “Oriental” art in a pavilion to be built on the back of the Fogg. After extensive discussions, and a ten-fold funding increase, it was agreed to build a separate museum to house the Asian and Ancient collections.
The Sackler Museum includes three floors of galleries on its inner side, and five floors devoted to seminar rooms, offices and curatorial study-storage areas on its outer flank, united by a dramatic central stairway. The galleries contain permanent displays of Oriental, Islamic, Indian and Ancient art, as well as temporary exhibitions. The top floor of galleries employs natural light introduced through a specially designed system of skylights. Also in the Museum are 280-seat auditorium, a library, and service spaces. The design has attracted much attention since it was shown to the public in 1981, and has been acclaimed “the architectural event of the 1980s” by New York Times critic Ada Louise Huxtable, and Philip Johnson declared it to be the most functional museum he had ever seen.
485 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
Arthur M. Sackler Stone Sculpture Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met’s First Asian Art Gallery
The Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, James Rorimer, wanted to display the huge Chinese stone sculpture which was in storage. He approached Arthur Sackler for a donation in 1963, confessing he had spent eight years trying to find a donor to finance this expensive project, which required a special gallery with reinforced floor. Sackler agreed, and also reimbursed the Metropolitan Museum for the original four large stone objects they chose to display there, dedicating the wall fresco in honor of his parents. The Gallery, on the first floor, opened March 10, 1965.
The Met
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
Visiting Hours
Open 7 Days a Week
Sunday–Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.*
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.*
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1, and the first Monday in May
Admission
Fee includes same-week admission to the Main Building and The Cloisters museum and gardens. There is no extra charge for entrance to exhibitions.
Recommended
Adults $25
Seniors (65 and older) $17
Students $12*
Members (Join Now) Free
Children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) Free
Sackler Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Thomas Hoving, Metropolitan Museum Director from 1967-77, enlarged the footprint of the building by adding North and South Wings. The board agreed the South Wing would be named The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for the Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, and Hoving wanted to find a donor for the North Wing, to house the Temple of Dendur, which was given by the Egyptian government in thanks for the United States’ contribution towards the Aswan Dam project. Hoving had been looking for a donor for six years, and when Sackler was asked to contribute in 1973, he counted aloud to ten and said “I’ll do it, the decision only took ten seconds”. Sackler invited his brothers to join, and they did. This donation clinched the Temple of Dendur for New York, as other museums wanted it. Now it was taken apart and sent from Alexandria to Brooklyn and then to Fifth Avenue and reassembled. To mark the opening, Hoving arranged for the inaugural exhibition in the Sackler Exhibition Hall to be of the treasures found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, which was such a success it gave rise to the term “blockbuster” exhibition. Ambassador of Egypt Meguib dedicated the Temple of Dendur in September 1978, after which the Sackler Wing and Exhibition Hall opened to the public, celebrated as one of the most spacious halls in New York City.
The Met
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
Visiting Hours
Open 7 Days a Week
Sunday–Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.*
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.*
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1, and the first Monday in May
Admission
Fee includes same-week admission to the Main Building and The Cloisters museum and gardens. There is no extra charge for entrance to exhibitions.
Recommended
Adults $25
Seniors (65 and older) $17
Students $12*
Members (Join Now) Free
Children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) Free
