Inside Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan’s visit to the Smithsonian’s Peacock Room

Melania Trump and China's First Lady Peng Liyuan visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington on Thursday, accompanied by their respective spouses who were engaged in talks at the White House. The museum's director, Chase Robinson, revealed that the pair spent approximately 45 minutes exploring the exhibits, with much of their time centered around the Peacock Room.

Chase Robinson explained that the museum chose to host the occasion in the Peacock Room due to its historical significance and the room's connection to Chinese and Japanese design. The Peacock Room, originally created by American artist James McNeill Whistler in 1876-77, features a blend of blue, green, and gold decorations inspired by Chinese porcelain and Japanese aesthetics.

American collector Charles Lang Freer acquired the room in 1904 and subsequently moved it from London to the United States, where it has been a centerpiece of the museum since 1923.

During their tour, the first ladies also viewed an 18th-century Chinese porcelain vase adorned with colorful famille rose enamels, gold, and iron red, along with a Yuan dynasty scroll painting. Robinson emphasized that the museum's collection boasts an exceptionally strong representation of Yuan and early Ming paintings, making the Peacock Room an ideal setting for the visit.

Both Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump expressed their appreciation for the experience, finding it intriguing due to the 19th-century interactions between China and the United States.

The visit to the museum was orchestrated by the office of the US First Lady, although the museum has a long-standing relationship with China. Robinson, who recently traveled to China himself, highlighted the museum's existing partnerships with Chinese institutions such as the Palace Museum and its regular staff exchanges with China.

Additionally, the museum collaborates closely with the Chinese embassy in Washington and the US State Department. Robinson stated that the museum's unique position and active programming of Chinese cultural events, including its popular Lunar New Year celebration, made it a fitting venue for this high-level diplomatic encounter.

Robinson expressed hope that the first ladies' visit would foster a continued interest in US-China relations, similar to the renewed attention the historic estate of Filoli in California received following a visit from President Xi Jinping and former US President Joe Biden. He emphasized the museum's intention to inspire further visits and collaborations between the two countries.