Lessons from the Institute of Empathy
Tuesday, July 21, 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
- Tue, Jul 21, 2026
- Wed, Jul 22, 2026
- Thu, Jul 23, 2026
- Fri, Jul 24, 2026
- Sat, Jul 25, 2026
- Sun, Jul 26, 2026
- Mon, Jul 27, 2026
- Tue, Jul 28, 2026
- Wed, Jul 29, 2026
- Thu, Jul 30, 2026
- Fri, Jul 31, 2026
- Sat, Aug 1, 2026
- Sun, Aug 2, 2026
- Mon, Aug 3, 2026
- Tue, Aug 4, 2026
- Wed, Aug 5, 2026
- Thu, Aug 6, 2026
- Fri, Aug 7, 2026
- Sat, Aug 8, 2026
- Sun, Aug 9, 2026
- Mon, Aug 10, 2026
- Tue, Aug 11, 2026
- Wed, Aug 12, 2026
- Thu, Aug 13, 2026
- Fri, Aug 14, 2026
- Sat, Aug 15, 2026
- Sun, Aug 16, 2026
- Mon, Aug 17, 2026
- Tue, Aug 18, 2026
- Wed, Aug 19, 2026
- …and 102 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