Asia After Dark at National Museum of Asian Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art has announced a special Asia After Dark program commemorating Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. The event takes place Friday, Nov. 1, 5–9:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Dance and music performances, food, discussions, crafts and more are on the schedule, including a dance party with DJ Rekha to end the night. The full list of activities is available online. The museum also offers many resources to learn about Diwali on its website, such as virtual tours of related collections, educator resources and webinars.

Diwali spans five days and marks the beginning of the new year in the Hindu calendar. Traditionally celebrated after the year’s last harvest, celebrants honor the goddess of abundance Lakshmi, inviting her to enter and bless their homes, temples and other public spaces. Lights are important to Diwali because Hindu belief holds that Lakshmi cannot enter a dark space.

More than 8,000 people attended the National Museum of Asian Art’s Diwali celebration in November 2023.