The Asian Collection emphasizes photographs of China, Japan and the Indian sub-continent, although almost all countries and cultures are represented, from the Maylay Archipelago to Mongolia. The photographs are mainly of indigenous cultures in their original settings, but include images of the Western presence in Asia and of Asian immigrants in the United States. Photographs by Asian photographers are an important aspect of the collection. The most important image in the collection is the only known daguerreotype of Chinese Coolies in native dress at work in a gold field, circa 1852.