Events/ Ongoing Programs/ MetCelebrates/ Festivals and Special Programs/ Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Pig
FESTIVAL OR SPECIAL PROGRAM

Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Pig

Free with Museum admission; admission is free for children under 12 with an adult.

May art bring you good fortune! Mark the Year of the Pig, one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, with performances, interactive gallery activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages.

Schedule of Events

All programs run from 11 am–5 pm unless otherwise noted.

 

Performances

Space is limited; first come, first served.

 

Lunar New Year Parade

11–11:30 am

Ring in a prosperous New Year with the Chinese Center on Long Island Lion Troupe.

Floor 1, Great Hall

 

Sesame Street Puppeteers Featuring Alan Muraoka

11:30 am–12 pm

Tickets distributed 15 minutes prior at event location.

Discover the traditions of Lunar New Year with Sesame Street puppeteers.

Floor 1, The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium

 

Photo Op with Sesame Street Muppeteers

12:30–1:30 pm

Snap a pic and meet some friendly Sesame Street characters.

Ground floor, Carson Family Hall East, Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education

 

Lunar New Year Performances

Tickets distributed 15 minutes prior to each session at event location.

1–1:45 pm, 2:30–3:15 pm, 4–4:45 pm

Be entertained by the Chinese Center on Long Island Lion Troupe, New York Chinese Cultural Center dancers, drummers from New York Korean Performing Arts Center, and Chinese yo-yo tricks from the Valley Stream South High School Cultural Society.

Floor 1, The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium

 

Art Activities and Demonstrations

Meet artists and make art together inspired by The Met collection! Unless otherwise noted, activities are best for ages 3 and up.

Hands-on opportunities available.

 

Zodiac Zone

Discover more about your sign. Proudly wear your zodiac animal sticker to meet others who share the same characteristics.

Ground floor, Carson Family Hall West, Uris Center for Education

 

Golden Piggy Bank

Create a year of good fortune! Design your own boarish bank.

Ground floor, Carson Family Hall West, Uris Center for Education

 

Wishful Fish with the Museum of Chinese in America

Fish symbolize abundance in the New Year. Using traditional Chinese paper cuts as inspiration, fold and cut a moveable paper fish to usher in a year of plenty.

Ground floor, Carson Family Hall West, Uris Center for Education

 

When Pigs Fly Scrolls

Put your imagination to the test to create your own scroll story inspired by flying pigs using sumi ink.

Ground floor, Carroll Classroom, Uris Center for Education

 

Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony & Bubble Tea Gatherings (Best for ages 6 and up)

12–3 pm

Cheer the New Year with freshly made bubble tea from Ten Ren Tea and Ginseng Co., then join a demonstration by tea masters at 1 pm and 3 pm.

Ground floor, Bonnie J. Sacerdote Lecture Hall, Uris Center for Education

 

Hand-Pulled Noodle Demonstration with Chef Zhang

1:30–2 pm, 2:30–3 pm, 3:30–4 pm

Tickets distributed 15 minutes prior to each session at event location.

The longer the noodles, the longer and happier the life!

Ground floor, Studio, Uris Center for Education

 

Mud Play!

Stimulate your senses by contributing to our textured mud painting, inspired by the Buddha of Medicine Bhaishajyaguru mural in Gallery 206, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Ground floor, North Classroom, Uris Center for Education

 

Celestial Drawing Stations

11:30 am–4:30 pm

Explore and sketch animals depicted in the lunar zodiac across cultures.

Floor 1, Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Gallery 350

 

Hide and Seek with The Sheep's Meow

11 am–5 pm

Blend into your surroundings with EXPOSURE by game designers GJ Lee and Brian S. Chung. Create your own digital camouflage to hide from predators.

Floor 1, The American Wing, The Charles Engelhard Court, Gallery 700

 

Korean Paper Doll Making

Dress your own paper doll pig in the finest hanbok, Korean traditional clothing, to celebrate the New Year with the Korea Society.

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 209, The Astor Forecourt

 

Ring in the New Year: Jewelry Making

Start your New Year with a bit of luck. Design jewelry inspired by Chinese fortune coins.

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 209, The Astor Forecourt

 

Collaborative Village

Around the world, families return home to celebrate the New Year. Design your own magical home to add to our growing village.

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 217, The Astor Court

 

Storytelling and Quiet Spaces

 

Piglet's Play Pen (Best for ages 0–5)

Play and learn with books, blocks, and more just for early learners.

Ground floor, Nolen Library, Uris Center for Education

 

Bilingual Storytime (Best for ages 3 and up)

1–1:30 pm, 2–2:30 pm

Enjoy quiet time with stories in English and Mandarin.

Ground floor, Nolen Library, Uris Center for Education

 

Kamishibai Storytelling with CMOM

1–1:20 pm, 1:30–1:50 pm, 2–2:20 pm, 2:30–2:50 pm

Join Children's Museum of Manhattan educators for an interactive form of Japanese storytelling that mixes traditional and modern kawaii-inspired stories.

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 206, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

 

Quiet Spaces

11:30 am–4:30 pm

Stop by these quiet spaces for time with art and books.

Floor 1, Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Gallery 353

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 238, South Asian Hindu-Buddhist and Jain Sculpture

 

For Adults

 

Collection Chats with New New Yorkers

(Best for ages 13 and up)

Join recent immigrants in exploring great works of Asian art. In Partnership with the Queens Library and The New New Yorkers Program at the Queens Museum.

 

Daoist Immortals with Chuankui Jiang

1–1:20 pm, 1:30–1:50 pm in English

2–2:20 pm in Mandarin

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 222, Chinese Decorative Arts

 

Chinese Jade with Tsae Jiaug Su 

1–1:20 pm, 1:30–1:50 pm in English

2–2:20 pm in Mandarin

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 207, The Charlotte C. Weber Galleries

 

Chinese Painting with Olivia (ChiMing) Hsieh

2:30–2:50 pm, 3–3:20 pm in English

3:30–3:50 pm in Mandarin

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 210

 

Wu Na + Chang Jing: Sound and View

12–12:45 pm, 2–2:45 pm

Hailing from China, master musicians Wu Na and Chang Jing elicit the sounds of nature—mountains, water, wind, and moon—from traditional Chinese zithers. Celebrate the Lunar New Year with the feeling of sonic scenery.

Ground floor, Robert Lehman Wing, Gallery 963

 

ETHEL and Friends: Erhu-Cello Duo

5–5:30 pm, 6–6:30 pm, 7–7:30 pm

Go on a musical journey with acclaimed string quartet ETHEL.

Floor 2, Great Hall Balcony, Gallery 204

 

This event is made possible in part by the Tiger Baron Foundation.

All Upcoming

{{listingCard.programType}}


{{ listingCard.startDateText }}