YUAG: Yale’s underappreciated home of treasures

Things I never imagined would be so important to me until after I got to Yale:

  1. Owning seasonal clothing
  2. Access to a refrigerator
  3. Appreciation for art history

As a result of Yale’s mandatory distribution requirements (and my great pursuit of knowledge), I’ve been given the privilege of exploring subjects I would have otherwise never considered, leading me to ultimately take up a double major in East Asian Studies. This semester, I dug deeper and expanded my horizons to learn a wider breadth of East Asian history through art.

Chinese bowls from different dynasties
Milling around museum grounds to study art from the lectures

I’ve always been a big fan of museums, having frequented every major museum in San Francisco and during all my vacations. After this class, however, I think I can upgrade myself to patron status after spending 2 hours every week listening to a storytelling format lecture about the themes and major pieces in Asian art. Accompanying the lectures is the section, which is where the magic happens. 

Classroom in museum to openly examine museum artifacts
Close-ups with museum pieces

For the first section of the year, I walked to the Loria Center, having been conditioned to head there for lecture, only to be greeted by an empty classroom. I frantically checked Canvas - the location of the section is in an unexpected place. The Yale University Art Gallery. I was hit by a rush of adrenaline as I sped walked out of the building, across the street, into the welcoming lobby of YUAG. Seeing me drenched in sweat with a panicked look on my face at being 5 minutes late to the first section of the year, a friendly graduate student offered her help as I stored my backpack in the lobby. As I walked down the stairs to the basement into a hidden showcase room, I was awestruck by the room filled with artifacts laying bare on the desk, waiting for me to examine.

Japanese Print of Great Wave off Kanagawa
One of the original prints of The Great Wave off Kanagawa

I was mesmerized by the chance to look at ancient artworks from only an inch away, with no constraints on the angle or lighting or glass barrier typical in a museum visit. I am super grateful for the Yale University Art Gallery and the cozy classroom spaces that provide unique interactions with museum pieces.