Samsung Electronics, in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, hosted a gala event on January 28 at the Arts and Industries Building in Washington, D.C., to mark the success of the exhibition “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared.”
The exhibition, which opened on November 15 and runs through February 1, presents masterworks from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection and marks the first time the collection has been showcased in the United States. Organizers expect the exhibition to attract more than 65,000 visitors, a level comparable to other major international exhibitions hosted by the museum.
The exhibition features more than 200 works selected from Lee’s personal collection of over 23,000 pieces and was jointly organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.
At the gala, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee expressed gratitude to the organizing institutions and noted the significance of Washington, D.C. as the first stop on the exhibition’s global tour. He also paid tribute to U.S. veterans of the Korean War, crediting their sacrifices with helping lay the foundation for South Korea’s modern development and its ability to preserve cultural heritage.
Members of the Lee family in attendance included Hong Ra-hee, Director Emerita of the Leeum Museum of Art; Lee Boo-jin, President and CEO of Hotel Shilla; Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T; and Kim Jae Youl, President of Samsung Global Research.
Approximately 250 guests attended the event, including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Senators Tim Scott, Ted Cruz and Andy Kim, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and former South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, as well as business leaders from global companies across technology, manufacturing, and finance.
The exhibition highlights over 1,500 years of Korean history through sculptures, ceramics, Buddhist art, furnishings, and traditional and modern paintings. Among the featured works are several National Treasures of Korea, including Faceted Bottle with Bamboo, The Lotus Sutra, and Bodhisattva Triad with a Single Halo. Other notable pieces include Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks, a 19th-century royal court painting symbolizing the Joseon Dynasty, and a 19th-century drum stand that has drawn attention from younger visitors.
According to the National Museum of Asian Art, the exhibition is the largest special presentation of Korean art ever held at the museum, with daily visitor numbers nearly double those of comparable exhibitions. Museum merchandise inspired by featured works, including Moon Jar-themed items, reportedly sold out early during the exhibition period.
The exhibition was supported by a grant from the National Museum of Korea’s Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program, with curators from both Korean national museums contributing to the exhibition and catalogue.
Following its conclusion in Washington, the collection will travel to the Art Institute of Chicago, where it will be on display from March through July, before continuing to the British Museum in London for a special exhibition scheduled from September 2026 through January 2027. The global tour will provide broader international audiences with access to Korean cultural heritage through works spanning multiple centuries.
