Asia Society announces new permanent home in historic Washington building

The Asia Society announced on Thursday that it had marked out territory on the Washington policy landscape with the purchase of a US$17.5 million building that will give it a permanent spot alongside other US capital think tanks dating back more than a century, striving for influence.The 70-year-old institution, founded by the grandson of oil mogul John D. Rockefeller, has focused more on public policy in recent years, in addition to its traditional focus on arts, culture and education, under former Australian prime minister and Asia Society President Kevin Rudd.“The Blaine Mansion is the ideal Washington location for our Policy Institute and its China Centre,” Rudd said in a statement.Thursday’s announcement came a day after it closed on the historic 15,000-square-foot James G. Blaine Mansion, which will house offices, state-of-the-art conference facilities and meeting spaces.