About Us

The Society for Asian Art is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was incorporated in 1958. The Society was founded by a group of enlightened citizens dedicated to winning Avery Brundage's magnificent art collection for San Francisco. Since that time, we have been an independent nonprofit organization that provides programs on Asian art and culture and supports the Asian Art Museum.

For over sixty-five years, we have offered a wide range of innovative, high-quality educational and cultural programs, along with social and culinary events where participants share their knowledge and enthusiasm. SAA's popular Arts of Asia Lecture Series, open to all, is the core of the museum's docent-training curriculum. We sponsor international and domestic travel, visits to private art dealers and collections, in-depth study groups, special lectures by leading scholars, literature courses and symposia. Much of our programming supports specific exhibitions.