USC Pacific Asia Museum

05/31/2026

Fans of Asia and Southeast Asia

We are pleased to share five online exhibitions and 120 collection images published on Google Arts and Culture. As an initial step to showcase the museum’s collection to a broader audience on this platform, we highlight an important collection of historical photographs, scanned from over 900 glass plate negatives, along with a diverse collection of fans from across Asia and Southeast Asia.

These collections had been stored away for years until we recently digitized them and explored the stories behind these historical photographs and cultural objects. By making them accessible to the public, the museum aims to foster a dialogue that encourages discovery and understanding of these stories within.

We welcome your insights and feedback.

The online exhibitions were created by a dedicated team of staff, students, and scholars. We sincerely thank them for their hard work, which made this showcase of our glass-plate negatives and fan collections possible.

We also extend our gratitude to our digital partner, the USC Digital Imaging Lab, and to our supporters—the Gladys Krieble Demas Foundation and the Fan Association of North America—whose generosity made both projects possible.

You can see the images and all five stories in the link in our bio.

05/30/2026

Every Breeze Tells a Story

Across East Asia, fans are far more than functional objects. They serve as markers of social identity, tools of performance, and portable works of art, often featuring painting, poetry, and calligraphy. Crafted from materials such as bamboo, silk, and paper, they reflect regional traditions, artistic collaboration, and layers of cultural symbolism that offer insight into history, daily life, and aesthetic values. These exhibitions highlight the artistry, cultural significance, and regional diversity of fans across East Asia, offering new ways to engage with these objects beyond the gallery.

This project was led by our Collections Department, with contributions from a professional photographer, staff, and a student assistant who helped edit images, conduct research, and develop interpretive content. The work not only enhances public access but also supports long-term preservation and hands-on training for emerging museum professionals.

We are deeply grateful to the FANA for their vision and support in bringing this project to life.

View the full online exhibition on and search "Every Breeze Tells a Story"

asianculture

05/30/2026

Run don't walk for the final few days of FREE admission in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month!

Also FREE parking ALWAYS in the north lot of the museum. That's called winning extra in Los Angeles!

We're open 11 am to 5 pm, Wednesdays to Sundays in beautiful Pasadena.

See you soon!!

05/28/2026

What's your zodiac animal?
See the fantastically interpreted version of it by the incredible artist duo in our Mythical Creatures exhibition!

Lunar Mythos reimagines the twelve zodiac animals as emissaries of ancestral protection.
Comprising thirteen works in total, the series features the twelve zodiac animals (monkey, snake,
tiger, dog, rabbit, dragon, ox, ram, rooster, horse, pig, and rat) as chimeric forms encircled
around a twelve-headed female Buddha. The series draws from funerary effigies found in burial
tombs from the Shilla Dynasty; each sculpture replicates the textures and proportions of these
ancient guardians using traditional ceramic methodologies that have been passed down for
centuries. The work explores our cultural inheritance as Asian-American artists and becomes an
act of reclamation as we also embed contemporary elements such as eroticism and queerness into
this pre-colonial iconography. Through labor-intensive and syncretic processes, Lunar Mythos
repositions ancestral artifacts as living markers of diasporic identity rather than relics of the past.

05/22/2026

We’re proud to co-present a screening of the feature film RICEBOY SLEEPS with Korean American Artist Collective and Dave Young Kim on June 6 at 1 pm PST. Tickets are FREE but limited so be sure to register— link in bio.

Q&A afterwards with the director Anthony Shim!

is an award-winning film directed by . The film follows a Korean single mother and her son as they navigate the challenges of immigration, identity and belonging in Canada. We are co-presenting this screening with the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena in connection with the exhibition MYTHICAL CREATURES: THE STORIES WE CARRY.

05/21/2026

Join us for a screening of Riceboy Sleeps, the award-winning film following a Korean single mother and her son as they navigate immigration, identity, and belonging in Canada.

Presented in connection with Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry.

In collaboration with the Korean American Artist Collective (KAAC).

🎟️ Free tickets include museum admission + free parking
MuseumPrograms

05/16/2026

05/13/2026

Don’t miss your chance to see the Mythical Creatures exhibition free the entire month of May.

05/12/2026

Shop handmade stationery, textiles, jewelry, body care, and ceramics while hearing the personal stories behind each piece.

Celebrate how immigrant communities bring their artistry, traditions, and entrepreneurial spirit across borders, creating vibrant cultural connections right here in Los Angeles.

Featuring scheduled artisans: Stacy Wong Handmade, Emily Young Ceramics, Honey My Heart, Kasih Co-op, Curious Works, ILOOTPAPERIE, Mindful Cements, and Unearth Malee.

05/07/2026

We love moms. Head on over. She will love our Mythical Creatures exhibition. ❤️