At the heart of the Silk Road, Afghanistan was the historic link between China, India, Persia, the Middle East, and the West. As the National Gallery of Art welcomes the U.S. premiere of the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul, museums, cultural institutions and restaurants throughout the city are joining together to celebrate the Silk Road cultures that also intermingle in the nation’s capital.

Running Memorial Day through Labor Day, Washington, DC Celebrates the Silk Road showcases the city’s distinctive international flavor and role as a crossroads of culture, evident in the collection of more than 170 foreign embassies, residences, chanceries and diplomatic missions and high-profile international organizations that make their homes here. Join in DC’s Silk Road Celebration at the following cultural organizations and restaurants.

Check out the latest restaurant offers & events taking place during this special event.

National Gallery of Art

Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul, a landmark traveling exhibition, co-organized by the National Geographic Society and the National Gallery of Art, and comprising 228 extraordinary artifacts uncovered in modern-day Afghanistan will begin its U.S. tour at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, where it will be on view from May 25 through Sep. 7, 2008. The Gallery will offer a diverse program of lectures, films, and family activities related to the exhibition. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

• Film Festival: Afghanistan on Film
  East Building Auditorium
  
  A ten-part series presenting a portrait of the country through recent documentary, contemporary fiction, and short media works. The program includes European, American, and Afghan perspectives. Screenings include The Kite Runner (July 18, 2:30 PM), New Video Art from Afghanistan (July 20, 4:30 PM), Osama (Aug. 1, 2:30 PM), Standing Up (Aug. 3, 4:30 PM), View from a Grain of Sand, preceded by Kabul Girls Club (Aug. 8, 2:30 PM), The Beauty Academy of Kabul (Aug. 9, 12:00 PM), Kandahar (Aug. 15, 2:30 PM), Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (Aug. 23, 12:00 PM; Aug. 30, 2:00 PM; Aug. 24, 11:30 AM), and Earth and Ashes (Sep. 6, 2:30 PM).
  
• Gallery Talks
  Led by a Gallery educator in the exhibition, 60-minute talks will offered throughout the summer.

National Geographic Museum

Exhibitions

• Visions of China
  Through July 13, 2008
  
  From the snow-covered Great Wall to dazzling modern architecture and habits of the newly rich, this exhibition offers images taken throughout China. Based on coverage for the National Geographic special issue on China (May 2008), the photographs document tradition and change in the world's most populous country.
• China’s Forgotten Fleet: Voyages of Zheng He
  June 11-Sep. 7, 2008
  
  Nearly a century before Columbus arrived in the Americas, a massive Chinese armada commanded by Admiral Zheng He set sail on the first of seven epic voyages. Over the course of three decades, his fleet of ships sailed from China to many places in the South Pacific, Persian Gulf, and distant Africa. This exhibition tells the story of these little-known journeys and cultural exchanges through objects, maps, and ship models from the National Museum in China and the Quanzhou Maritime Museum.
• Shaolin: Temple of Zen
  Photographs by Justin Guariglia
  June 11-Sep. 7, 2008
  
  Over the past eight years, photographer Justin Guariglia won the trust of the notoriously secretive warrior monks of the Shaolin Temple, a unique Chinese Buddhist sect dedicated to preserving a form of kung fu referred to as the “vehicle of Zen.” With the blessing of the main abbot, Shi Yong Xin, Guariglia collaborated with the monks to create an astonishing record of these Shaolin art forms. The exhibition will feature images and video from Guariglia documenting these individuals, who consider themselves the keepers and masters of their centuries-old art forms in their original setting, a 1,500-year-old Buddhist temple. Aperture, a not-for-profit organization devoted to photography and the visual arts, has organized this traveling exhibition and produced the accompanying publications.

Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Performances

• Escape to Nature: Chinese Kunqu Theater
  Fri., June 13, 2008, 7:30 pm, Meyer Auditorium
  Sat., June 14, 2008, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
  
  Pre-performance gallery tours:
  Fri., June 13, Arts of China, 6:45 pm
  Sat., June 14, Yellow Mountain, 1:15 pm
  
  Actors of classical Chinese kunqu music-theater in full costume and makeup perform with a six-member ensemble on traditional Chinese instruments. Friday night features the scenes "Kneeling by the Pond," "Searching for the Rat," and "Sweeping under a Pine Tree," in which a man in mourning sings a moving ode to nature. On Saturday, "The Butterfly Dream" and "The Lotus Song" precede "The Sorrowful Witness," in which the Ming emperor retreats to the mountains disguised as a Buddhist monk. Presented in cooperation with the Wintergreen Kungu Society.
• The Magic Mountain: Taiwanese Puppet Theater
  Sat., June 21, 12:00 pm, Sackler Sublevel 1
  Sat., June 21, 3:00 pm, Sackler Sublevel 1
  Sunday, June 22, 2:00 pm, Sackler Sublevel 1
  
  Pre-performance gallery tours:
  Sat., June 21, Yellow Mountain, 2 pm
  Sun., June 22, Yellow Mountain, 1 pm
  
  Master Taiwanese puppeteer Liao Wen-ho and his Glove Puppet Theater perform original scenes from the classic Journey to the West, in which a Buddhist monk and his retinue of animal friends cross the mysterious mountains of western China, where they encounter giants, demons, monsters, and a village celebration. Presented in cooperation with the Taipei Cultural Center, New York.
• Arab Music from Iraq: Rahim Alhaj, 'ud; Souhail Kaspar, percussion
  Thurs., July 31, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
  
  Iraqi-born musician Rahim Alhaj earned a Grammy nomination in 2008 for his CD “When the Soul is Settled: Music of Iraq,” released on the Smithsonian Folkways label. He studied at the famed Baghdad Conservatory under the late Munir Bashir, who was perhaps the greatest 'ud master of the twentieth century. Since arriving in the United States in 2000, Alhaj has released three more CDs, including one for 'ud and string quartet. Legendary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell calls Aljah's music "beautiful, mysterious, and powerful."

Exhibitions

• Taking Shape: Ceramics in Southeast Asia
  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
  Through 2010
  
  Unveiled on April 1, approximately 200 diverse and visually striking ceramic vessels from Southeast Asia are on long–term view through the year 2010 in Taking Shape: Ceramics in Southeast Asia. The clay pots and jars form the most enduring record of human activity in this part of the world, during the prehistoric period to the present.
  
  Donated to the Sackler between 1996 and 2005 by brothers Osborne and Victor Hauge and their wives Gratia and Takako, these remarkable objects provide the focus for a detailed narrative of the migration of pots from their makers to their users. Included in the Hauge gift are more than 800 vessels made in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, together with Chinese bowls and jars exported to Southeast Asia. Plans are under way to publish online all 800 objects in the Hauge Collection of Ceramics in Mainland Southeast Asia. This dynamic web-based catalogue will grow and evolve as new discoveries and research are incorporated into the site.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (Central Library)

Exhibition

The DC Public Library Art Division presents an exhibition of maps, images, and a children’s songbook related to the National Gallery of Art exhibition, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.

Lecture

Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, will present a slide-illustrated lecture, followed by a screening of the new 26-minute documentary, "Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures," on Wed., August 6 at 6:30 pm.

National Building Museum

Lecture

• "Afghanistan’s Architectural Legacy"
  May 28, 6:30 pm-8 pm
  General public $20; museum members and students $12
  
  Dr. Habiba Sarabi, governor of Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Province, will discuss the role of cultural preservation and the Afghani architectural landscape. Dr. Sarabi is the first woman to ever be governor in the country. The Bamiyan Valley, a World Heritage Site, is perhaps best known for the two monumental statues of Buddha that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. This program is presented in partnership with US/ICOMOS and with the cooperation of the National Geographic Society.

Shakespeare Theatre Company
Sidney Harman Hall

Exhibition

"Shakespeare in Kabul" is a selection of photographs documenting performances of Shakespeare plays in Afghanistan. Presented in conjunction with the Roman Repertory performances of Antony and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, the exhibition is displayed on the 2nd level of the theatre is and on view for ticket holders only. On view through July 6.

Sixth & I Synagogue

Lecture

• "An Evening with Afghan Ambassador to the United States Said T. Jawad and Mrs. Shamim Jawad"
  July 17, 7:00 pm
  $6 admission

The Smithsonian Associates

Lecture

Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow
In Cooperation with the National Geographic Society and the National Gallery of Art.
Mon., August 11, 6:45 pm-9 pm. Location to be announced.
General public $40; Resident Members $30; Senior Members $27

With their country in crisis, a small group of Afghans in 1978 hid thousands of artifacts and other ancient national treasures from their National Museum to protect them. The priceless hoard stayed safely secreted for 25 years as the Soviets invaded, bloody power struggles followed, and the Taliban took over. Then, in 2003, the Afghan government invited archaeologist Fredrik Hiebert to inventory the artifacts. What he found astonished him--and the rest of the world.To complement the traveling exhibit of some 200 pieces from the cache, this evening Hiebert talks about the thousands of years of history represented, the cultural significance, and how the treasures were preserved. Ranging in date from 2200 BC to 200 AD, the objects come from four archaeological sites. The works include more than 100 gold ornaments from among the 20,000 pieces found in 1978 at the burial site of six Bactrian nomads; gold bowls with artistic links to Mesopotamia; bronze and stone sculptures; and bronzes, ivories, and painted glassware imported from Greco-Roman and Indian territories.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

National Mall
(202) 633-1000
folklife.si.edu
Metro: Smithsonian

June 25-29 and July 2-6
11 am-5:30 pm daily; evening events start at 6 pm

The 42nd annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival explores the rich culture and Silk Road traditions of Bhutan through live demonstrations, dance and musical performances, narrative sessions and a variety of hands-on activities. One of three world cultures highlighted in this year's festival, the event will feature approximately 120 Bhutanese artists, dancers, cooks, craftspeople, carpenters, farmers and representatives of monastic life. Bhutan’s Royal Academy of Performing Arts will present the country’s folk dances, while groups of monks will perform ritual dances from symbolic and sacred festivals of the Bhutanese calendar. Visitors will be invited to enjoy other types of music and dance that celebrate occasions of daily life, such as planting, harvesting, building, weaving and even animal care. Artisans will share with visitors the 13 traditional arts that are important to the people of Bhutan and the special techniques used to create them. The heart of the exhibition area will feature an authentic Bhutanese lhakhang (temple) and other examples of Bhutanese architecture. Traditional medicines and cuisines will also be on display, plus children's stories and more.

Back to top

Restaurant Offers and Events

Bombay Club

815 Connecticut Ave. NW
(202) 659-3727
bombayclubdc.com

Washington, DC’s landmark Bombay Club, located just steps away from the White House, is welcoming the exhibition with an inspired special of Raan E Kyber, a leg of lamb slow cooked in its own juice and marinade, priced at $22.

Café Bonaparte & Napoleon Bistro

Afghan-inspired crepes from recipes from the Popal family, including the Budapest, seasoned ground beef, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, cilantro and garlic topped with a sour cream cilantro sauce, and Goshe Feel, a fried crepe.

Mie N Yu

Executive Chef Tim Elliott has created a special Afghan-inspired five-course menu featuring regional Afghan flavors and cooking techniques. Featured dishes include Tataki Mashawa, Afghan-spiced ahi tuna tataki over a five-bean salad with herbs and a cilantro-walnut sauce, and Kobe Mantu, Kobe ground beef & scallion dumplings with a garlic-mint yogurt. Available May 22 through Sep. 3, the dinner is priced at $55 per person or $75 with Silk Road wine pairings (excludes tax and gratuity).

National Gallery of Art
Garden Café: Silk Road

Visitors may enjoy Silk Road-inspired cuisine, including signature dishes from local chefs, when the National Gallery of Art transforms its West Building Garden Café into Garden Café: Silk Road in conjunction with Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul. The exhibition will be on view in the Gallery’s East Building, May 25 through Sep. 7. From May 19 through early September, the buffet and a la carte menus will feature Kebab Degi with Fresh Mint by Lala Chef of Bamian Restaurant in Falls Church, VA; Tataki Mashawa (Afghan-spiced ahi tuna tataki over a five-bean salad with herbs and a cilantro-walnut sauce), by Chef Tim Elliott of Mie N Yu in Washington, DC; and Chicken Kebab with Fresh Coriander Chutney by Chef David Rogers of Restaurant Associates at the National Gallery of Art.

Spezie Restaurant

Executive Chef/ Partner Cesare Lanfranconi has created a special three-course “Italian Spice Route” menu—a passport to the regional flavors of Venice, Rome and Sicily, which were stops along the historic route. Guests will take a culinary tour along the spice route through Italy from north to south, choosing from Venetian antipasti dishes, Rome-inspired entrees and Sicilian desserts, all of which highlight the herbs and spices traditionally used in each of the three regions. Chef Lanfranconi will utilize authentic ingredients from Italy, as well as incorporating fresh local bounty. The herbs and spices found in traditional Italian dishes date back to ancient times, when they were transported from the East along the spice trade route, also known as the Silk Road, and brought into ports in Venice and Sicily and dispersed throughout Italy.

Topaz Bar

Sip a Silk Road Martini, made with Stoli Peach vodka, triple sec and fresh pomegranate juice.

Zola Restaurant

Zola will offer a new cocktail, the Silk Petal, which incorporates ingredients from the Silk Road. The Silk Petal Martini consists of “Arrack,” which is liquor distilled from palm sap, usually found in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia and blended with rose petal nectar, kaffir lime and pomegranate seeds, priced at $9.

Back to top