Located on the mall right across from all the craziness, it doesn't look like much from the outside. But once you step inside this magnificent gallery you are transported to Asia. Well the Asia of the past with sultans, samurais, geishas, and magnificent palaces only the truly lucky ever got to see.
The rooms flow nicely in a square around a central courtyard whose main exhibit is a rather small fountain surrounded by lots and lots of foliage. Each room tells a different story. I imagine the weapons were used by great Samurai's in an epic battle over an Asian princess (my imagination tends to wander...). The screens from a geisha house or perhaps a huge palace of some noble sultan.
The Peacock Room was my favorite. It had more art in it than any of the other rooms combined. It was blue in color (peacock blue) and had all sorts of china, pottery and other small artifacts. The walls were masterpieces in themselves. You felt like you were in the Forbidden Palace. There was so much to look at, it was fantastic!
When I walked out of the Freer Gallery it felt like I had been to yoga, I was calm, relaxed, zen-like.
Right next to Freer are beautiful gardens. The Enid A. Haupt gardens are a paradise in the middle of the mall. Vibrant colors come from all sorts of plants and flowers. The best part is it is right on the street, any unknowing stranger could stumble upon this while walking around DC.
Connected to Freer is also the Sackler Galleries. This hosts more modern Asian art. I wandered through here for a few minutes, and I stumbled upon real Buddhist monks mediating. I couldn't tell if they were part of an exhibit or not. But they looked very comfortable. I moved along quickly just in case they were there on their own accord and not an exhibit.
The Sackler Galleries were more of a cave you dig deeper and deeper into. I am sure I didn't see everything. Not quiet the flow Freer had, but again it was nice and quiet where you could lose yourself in the setting and not worry about the crowds pushing you on.
If you have a chance on a lazy afternoon this is a fantastic place to open your mind and feel a little more zen.
The Samurai's tools.
The Peacock Room.
The fountain in the center of the gallery.
Screens from a palace.
The gardens.
*I made up most of these descriptions to what I imagined they were. Meaning most of it is not accurate. But hey, it's more fun to make a museum what you want it to be.
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