The gallery houses a world-renowned collection of art from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, and the Near East. Visitor favorites include Chinese paintings, Japanese folding screens, Korean ceramics, Indian and Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture. A highlight of the Whistler holdings is the Peacock Room, a dining room that was once part of a London townhouse.

The gallery was founded by Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), a railroad-car manufacturer from Detroit who gave to the US his collections and funds for a building to house them. Admission is free.

DC Anime Club was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington, DC area about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion of Japanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga).

Club also work to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.

The club holds an Art Show, a Cosplay Party fundraising event, and anime lectures at local schools.

Otakorp, Inc. is the not-for-profit organization best known for running Otakon, one of the worlds premier gatherings of fandom. Otakorps mission is to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment.

The Freer and Sackler Galleries, in partnership with Otakorp, Inc., and the DC Anime Club, will host a cosplay (short for costume play) contest as part of the anime marathon. The contest is open to individuals or groups. The first twenty individuals or groups who respond will be accepted. To enter, e-mail with your name, the number of people in your group (if applicable), and a brief description and picture of the character(s) you will be representing.

Each individual or group will be given up to three minutes to perform before an audience in the 300-seat Meyer Auditorium. A panel of judges will present awards at the end of the event. All costumes and performances must be family-friendly.

* Susan Napier, author of Anime from Akira to Howls Moving Castle, and From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Cult in the Mind of the West.

THE FREER GALLERY, 1050 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC.

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>Title = NCBF Anime Marathon Cosplay Contest, Washington DC, US - Video.
>Keywords = National Cherry Blossom Festival, Anime Marathon Cosplay Contest, Freer and Sackler Galleries, Otakorp Inc, Washington DC, Club, costume play, US, Meyer Auditorium, ourtripvideos, our, trip, videos, crlapindfrn, Susan Napier, Charles Lang Freer, Japanese animation (165)
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