Lessons from the Institute of Empathy
Tuesday, August 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
- 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
- Thu, Aug 20, 2026
- Fri, Aug 21, 2026
- Sat, Aug 22, 2026
- Sun, Aug 23, 2026
- Mon, Aug 24, 2026
- Tue, Aug 25, 2026
- Wed, Aug 26, 2026
- Thu, Aug 27, 2026
- Fri, Aug 28, 2026
- Sat, Aug 29, 2026
- Sun, Aug 30, 2026
- Mon, Aug 31, 2026
- Tue, Sep 1, 2026
- Wed, Sep 2, 2026
- Thu, Sep 3, 2026
- Fri, Sep 4, 2026
- Sat, Sep 5, 2026
- Sun, Sep 6, 2026
- Mon, Sep 7, 2026
- Tue, Sep 8, 2026
- Wed, Sep 9, 2026
- …and 81 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