(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) A local Boston museum has announced they are hosting a Lunar New Year celebration that will include family-friendly activities, children's crafts, and more! The best part about this community celebration? You can 'pay-what-you-wish' to attend!
What Is The Lunar New Year?
The Lunar New Year is a 15-day "celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar." In the Chinese zodiac, "2023 is the year of the rabbit."
Which Boston Museum Is Offering $5 Admission?
The discounted admission is being hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts, thanks to the support of "the Fan Family Foundation and an anonymous funder." The discounted admission price begins at 5 PM.
Admission will allow visitors access to the entire museum. The Museum of Fine Arts invites visitors to also "explore Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese art from our collection—including works on view in the exhibition 'Otherworldly Realms of Wu Junyong.' "
An Instagram post made by the Boston museum also revealed that the artist Wu Junyong would be joining "the celebration to paint one of his playful panoramas of wild creatures and secluded haunts." Visitors will have the chance to hear from him and ask questions while he works.
When Is 'Pay-What-You-Wish' At The MFA?
The Museum of Fine Arts has announced that on Thursday, February 2, 2023, beginning at 5 PM, they will celebrate the Lunar New Year by offering a $5 minimum "pay-what-you-wish" admission price.
What Fun Actvities Are Happening During $5 Admission?
The local city art museum has revealed that during the discounted admission celebration, there will be family-friendly activities for visitors to enjoy!
1) Chinese Brush Painting Art Kits
- TIME: 5 – 9 PM
- LOCATION: Lower Rotunda
- INFORMATION: Pick up an art kit with everything you need to create your own beautiful brush painting! Materials are included so you can transform your work of art into a hanging scroll. Kits available while supplies last.
2) Artist at Work: Wu Junyong
- TIME: 5:30 – 8 PM
- LOCATION: Druker Studios, Linde Family Wing
- INFORMATION: Watch spirited contemporary artist and animator Wu Junyong, visiting Boston from China, paint one of his playful panoramas of wild creatures and secluded haunts. Hear from the artist—and ask questions—while he works! With remarks by Nancy Berliner, Wu Tung Senior Curator of Chinese Art, at 5:30 and 7:30 pm.
3) Welcome Remarks
- TIME: 6 PM
- LOCATION: Shapiro Family Courtyard
- INFORMATION: Hear from Matthew Teitelbaum, Ann and Graham Gund Director; and Christina Yu Yu, chief of Curatorial Affairs and Conservation and Matsutaro Shoriki Chair, Art of Asia; as they welcome you to MFA Boston’s Lunar New Year Celebration.
4) Spotlight Talk: Beneath the Surface
- TIME: 6 PM
- LOCATION: Arts of Korea Gallery, 179
- INFORMATION: Explore the beauty and sophistication of Korean celadon ceramics through a close examination of a masterful 13th-century vase with inlaid decoration. With Melissa Moy, leadership gifts officer and Asian art specialist.
5) Vietnamese Music and Dance
- TIME: 6:15 – 6:55 PM
- LOCATION: Shapiro Family Courtyard
- INFORMATION: Enjoy celebratory traditional Vietnamese music and dance selections, including a lion dance performed by Eternal Lion Group, “Nàng Sen” (Lotus Ladies) and “Lả Trôi” (The Storks Flew Away) by S.T.A.R Group Boston, and “Gao Trang Trang Thanh” (White Rice and Full Moon) by Cultural Empowerment Organization.
6) Spotlight Talk: Restrained Elegance
- TIME: 6:30 PM
- LOCATION: Chinese Song Dynasty Gallery, 274
- INFORMATION: Enjoy an introduction to the arts of the Chinese Song dynasty (960–1279 CE), a golden age for art and aesthetics. Then take a closer look at a rare painting by Song emperor and master artist Huizong. Presented in Mandarin Chinese. With Gillian Zhang, curatorial research associate, Chinese Art.
7) Spotlight Talk: Otherworldly Realms of Wu Junyong
- TIME: 7:15 PM
- LOCATION: Gallery 183
- INFORMATION: Take a tour of “Otherworldly Realms of Wu Junyong,” featuring whimsical, colorful works by one of China’s most exciting contemporary artists. With Nancy Berliner, Wu Tung Senior Curator of Chinese Art.
8) BAKTA Faculty Ensemble Concert: Greeting the Moon
- TIME: 7:30 – 8 PM
- LOCATION: Shapiro Family Courtyard
- INFORMATION: Rooted in Korean traditional arts and inspired by beautiful soundscapes from around the world, this program features dance, contemporary gugak (traditional Korean music), and sanjo (solo instrumental performances) that highlight the celebratory spirit of Lunar New Year. The BAKTA Faculty Ensemble consists of music and dance teachers at the Boston Academy of Korean Traditional Arts.
To Learn More
For more information about the MFA's Lunar New Year Celebration, please visit https://www.mfa.org/event/special-event/lunar-new-year?event=3265
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