Gaga over Asian art

Good news for those who enjoy the landscaped beauty of Seattle's Volunteer Park but have only been able to gaze longingly at the exterior of Seattle Asian Art Museum, which was closed last year for reroofing. The work is done.

Maybe it's the incessant rain but Seattle goes gaga over its museums. The Asian Art Museum re-opens to the public today with a rich cornucopia of shows that remind us what we've been missing.

The grand kickoff includes two strong exhibits, "The Orchid Pavilion Gathering: Chinese Painting from the University of Michigan Museum of Art" and "Fragrance of the Past: Chinese Calligraphy and Painting by Ch'ung-ho Chang Frankel and Friends." Other exhibits on view include "Discovering Buddhist Art — Seeking the Sublime" and Shirin Neshat's video installation, "Tooba."

The Seattle Art Museum is one of Seattle's crown jewels, but it sparkles less brightly without the Asian Art Museum. It's good to see that museum back.

The Volunteer Park museum's hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, with extended hours to 9 p.m. Thursdays. (206-654-3100 or www.seattleartmuseum.org)