The Ringling is well known for its art collections. This weekend it's celebrating the opening of its Center for Asian Art.David Berry is one of the Center's project managers. He says The Ringling is very aware of the impact of Asian art and culture on the world in which we live.
"It has had these collections and they have grown over time and the feeling was that now was a really good time to provide permanent display space for the exhibition of those objects", said Berry. "But also to develop the center as an initiative doing more in the way of public education and offering academic opportunities."
Berry says the collection includes traditional, modern and contemporary art from Japan, Korea, China, India, and South East Asia.
The Ringling will welcome the public to the grand opening of its Center with Asian music and dance, an exhibition of kimonos, silkworms, and demonstrations of Japanese flower-arranging, on Sunday, May 15th from 10AM to 2PM.