Lessons from the Institute of Empathy
Thursday, June 11, 2026, All Day; additional 29 dates below.
Three Empathics have moved into Seattle Art Museum and are a central feature to the latest installation imagined in our African art galleries. The popular and immersive ChimaTEK: Virtual Chimeric Space by contemporary artist Saya Woolfalk was first shown in Disguise: Masks and Global African Art (2015). Now part of SAM’s permanent collection and installed in Lessons from the Institute of Empathy, the Empathics have surrounded themselves with works from our African art collection as a way to help visitors awaken their own empathy.
Upon entering you will experience a virtual space where you can step outside your normal, routine self and improve your ability to understand others. If you wonder about your empathic abilities, you are not alone. Empathy—the ability to understand the experiences of others—is a skill that’s said to have eroded in the modern world. The result is Empathy Deficit Disorder (EDD).
The Empathics display their trademarked process for transformation and ask you to consider the other artwork around you.
Upcoming Dates
All Day
- Thu, Jun 11, 2026
- Fri, Jun 12, 2026
- Sat, Jun 13, 2026
- Sun, Jun 14, 2026
- Mon, Jun 15, 2026
- Tue, Jun 16, 2026
- Wed, Jun 17, 2026
- Thu, Jun 18, 2026
- Fri, Jun 19, 2026
- Sat, Jun 20, 2026
- Sun, Jun 21, 2026
- Mon, Jun 22, 2026
- Tue, Jun 23, 2026
- Wed, Jun 24, 2026
- Thu, Jun 25, 2026
- Fri, Jun 26, 2026
- Sat, Jun 27, 2026
- Sun, Jun 28, 2026
- Mon, Jun 29, 2026
- Tue, Jun 30, 2026
- Wed, Jul 1, 2026
- Thu, Jul 2, 2026
- Fri, Jul 3, 2026
- Sat, Jul 4, 2026
- Sun, Jul 5, 2026
- Mon, Jul 6, 2026
- Tue, Jul 7, 2026
- Wed, Jul 8, 2026
- Thu, Jul 9, 2026
- Fri, Jul 10, 2026
- …and 142 more
Hours
SAM Downtown- Free on the First Thursday of Each Month!
Thursday: 10am-5pm
Asian Art Museum- Free on the Last Friday of Each Month!
Friday: 10am-5pm
Olympic Sculpture Park- Free Always!
Open daily
Opens 30 minutes prior to sunrise
Closes 30 minutes after sunset