Sneak Peek: “Explore Asia” at the Asia Society Texas Center

Slated to open in Spring 2023, Explore Asia at the Asia Society Texas Center will be Houston’s first Asia-focused interactive learning exhibition and online learning platform. The project shares new narratives of Asians and Asian Americans, addressing gaps in learning that can lead to intolerance and racism. C&G Partners is proud to be a design partner for this transformational project, working alongside long-term collaborators Potion.

Visitors of all ages will voyage through the 40,000-square-foot building, a uniquely minimalist space designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi, engaging with interactive displays and learning stations with content-rich modules about Asian art, culture, and contemporary global issues. With a primary audience of K-12 students, the goal is to spark curiosity, build cultural empathy, and develop global competency.

The exhibitions take students on a guided ride through space and time, visiting historical and contemporary sites. The education programming is a shift from a traditional docent-led school tour experience to an innovative student-centered, educator-guided learning journey.

Grounded in the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and the Asia Society Center for Global Education Global Competency Framework, Explore Asia will enhance students’ understanding of Asia through humanity and STEM-based curriculum. Throughout the journey, students and visitors of all ages will examine the impact their actions can have on creating an inclusive and diverse society.

Moveable mini museums will spark visitor curiosity through relatable cultural topics and tactile learning, bringing to life the authenticity of the many realities of everyday life in Asia.

Exhibits bring the smells, noises, and action of shared food across the world to visitors. From the familiar setting of lunch, students and visitors are able to recognize similarities and differences between cultures through eating.

The final stop of the journey is dedicated to empathy building and contemplation. As the culminating experience, visitors will have their faces digitally transformed into art made of meaningful words.

C&G Partners is also working with Potion on a related online learning platform and virtual storytelling experience, utilizing interactive graphic novels to deepen middle and high school students’ understanding of Asia and Asian American perspectives.