A stroll through the exotic gardens newly installed at the Sackler Gallery rewards you at every turn. Not by fragrance or touch, but by vibrant moments of past lives preserved in East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art.

In this ethereal haven, you’ll stumble upon lovers embracing upon an ornate bedspread, the mountains of Kashmir rising in the distance. From 1597, it’s one of the collection’s many exquisitely detailed small-format illustrations that reveal a magical story. Originally bound in manuscripts, they’re rendered in opaque watercolor and gold on paper. This one depicts a prince from India’s Mughal dynasty and his wife.