The Infinite Artistry of Japanese Ceramics

Near the entrance stands a 15th-century Shigaraki storage jar, built up from coils of clay rather than thrown, with kiln ash melted into a glaze that drips down one side. The label calls its surface "a collaboration among the clay, the wood-fired kiln, and the potter's hand."

That jar opens ten galleries and about 350 works, most from the Harry G. C. Packard Collection the Met acquired 50 years ago, and many rarely or never shown. The themes run from Jōmon clay figures to gold-mended tea bowls, Nabeshima porcelain made for the shogun's circle, tea wares and pieces by living potters, with screens, robes and lacquer alongside. You can sit while you look: George Nakashima's wooden benches are set out through the rooms.

The catch: a selection of works changes five times over the run, so check the rotation dates if you're going for one piece. It's free with Museum admission, in Galleries 223 to 232 on Floor 2, through August 8, 2027.