Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

06/18/2026

Introducing our new virtual tour experience for "Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond."

"Sightlines" explores the lasting imprint of Asian Americans on the physical and cultural landscape of Washington, DC. Originally on view from September 2024 through November 2025, the exhibition now lives on online.

Visit this link to experience the exhibition from wherever you are: https://s.si.edu/4vhmOO1

06/08/2026

Today is 🌊🐚🌏🩵

Through small, detailed images, stamps preserve the life, places, and ecosystems that shape our understanding of the sea — like coral reefs in Rose Atoll of American Samoa or the Hawaiian monk seal resting just above the surface. These miniature records from the National Marine Sanctuaries collection remind us that the ocean is more than geography, but a living archive of biodiversity and care.

These two stamps are part of a set of sixteen that celebrate the biodiversity protected across the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System



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Forever National Marine Sanctuaries: Corals and fish, Rose Atoll single, 2022. Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

Forever National Marine Sanctuaries: Hawaiian monk seal single, 2022. Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

06/08/2026

The discourse is thriving. The interpretations are...creative. Anyway, come see our exhibition, "How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories." On view until November 2027 🫣 🤭 ✨

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Gallery photo by Phillip Lee

Studio portrait of two Filipino men in suits, 1930s. Photo courtesy of Filipino Agricultural Workers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Filipina farmworker in a field, 1930s. Photo courtesy of Filipino Agricultural Workers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

06/06/2026

Today is ! Before the yo-yo became a nationwide sensation, Filipino migrant Pedro Flores helped introduce it to American audiences.

In 1929, Flores built a successful yo-yo business, manufacturing more than 100,000 wooden toys and hiring skilled demonstrators to teach people the tricks that made the toy so popular. His entrepreneurial vision helped turn a familiar Filipino pastime into a growing American trend.

When businessman Donald F. Duncan Sr. encountered Flores's yo-yos, he recognized their commercial potential and purchased the rights to market them nationally. Other companies began to create the Filipino-inspired yo-yo as well, but Duncan would go on to build the country's largest yo-yo company. The craze began with Flores, whose innovation and business savvy laid the foundation for the toy's success in the United States.

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Duncan Genuine Yo-Yo. National Museum of American History
Goody Filipino Twirler. National Museum of American History
Royal Super Deluxe Chico Yo-Yo. National Museum of American History

06/05/2026

This tennis season, we're celebrating an athlete whose impact reaches far beyond the court. ✨ 🎾

Inspired by watching Serena and Venus Williams on television, Osaka transformed a childhood dream into history. In 2018, at just 20 years old, she defeated her idol Serena Williams to become the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Born to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, Osaka has navigated the complexities of identity on a global stage while redefining what a tennis champion can look like. Beyond her powerful serves and championship titles, she has used her platform to spark conversations about race, representation, and social justice—from challenging narrow definitions of identity to honoring Black victims of racist violence during the 2020 US Open.

Naomi’s story is one of thirty stories of resilience, adversity, and joy featured in our book “We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States.” To learn more about her story, check out the link in our bio.

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Original Illustration by Illi Ferandez.

From the book "We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States" by Naomi Hirahara, illustrated by Illi Ferandez.

Tennis racket used by Naomi Osaka at the 2020 U.S. Open. National Museum of American History.

06/02/2026

Another unforgettable AANHPI Heritage Month ✨

From launching our inaugural Visions & Voices film festival, to welcoming thousands into spaces of storytelling, history, art, and community, this past month reminded us what’s possible when we move together and celebrate each other.

These accomplishments are made possible by the strength of our communities, the generations who paved the way, and the support of artists, advocates, partners, staff, volunteers, and supporters who help make our work possible.

Thank you for showing up, sharing space with us, and helping amplify AANHPI voices and experiences. We’re proud of what we built together this month — and even more excited for what’s ahead.

06/01/2026

The stories we preserve today shape how future generations understand the American story.

A legacy gift is one way to help support that. By including APAC in your long-term plans, you can help support future exhibitions, scholarship, community programs, and the vision of a permanent APAC presence on the National Mall.

No matter the size, a legacy gift is a lasting investment in representation, remembrance, and belonging. It is a way to honor the people, communities, and histories that matter most to you.

To learn about more ways to give, check out this link: https://s.si.edu/4o0RgJt

05/28/2026

❤️ For nearly 30 years, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) has worked to bring these histories into fuller view. By supporting APAC through donations and legacy giving, you help sustain the exhibitions, programs, and scholarships that ensure these stories shine for generations to come.

Your legacy can help build the foundation for a future APAC gallery on the National Mall and create lasting impact for future generations.

To learn more about how you can create lasting impact with a planned gift and other ways to give, check out this link: https://apa.si.edu/support/ways-to-give/

Support APAC’s mission to celebrate and share the stories, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Your gift helps build the first dedicated AANHPI gallery, endow key leadershp roles, and sustain programs that educate and inspire.

05/26/2026

Instead of brushes like traditional paintings, Carlos Villa used his own body as the tool—pressing his chest, hands, feet, and face onto canvas. The result is made to feel like a ritual, a movement.

Villa’s face emerges and fades within the paint, a powerful affirmation of his identity as a Filipino American artist. In the 1950s, he was told “Filipino art history doesn’t exist.” He spent the rest of his career proving otherwise—drawing inspiration from Indigenous, Asian, and Western traditions to create a vibrant personal aesthetic.

This piece “During” (1982) is currently on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM)

Carlos Villa, “During,” 1982, acrylic on canvas, 82 x 72 in. (208.3 x 182.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible through Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2023.26, © Carlos Villa Art Estate.

05/20/2026

LAST CHANCE! Stop by the Russell Rotunda on Capitol Hill to check out “Stories from the Field: Filipino Migrant Workers in Hawaii,” an exhibit we are presenting alongside to celebrate the rich history and culture of AANHPI communities.