Jan. 21: The Met’s Lunar New Year Festival: The Year of the Rabbit Lineup includes Alan Muraoka and “Sesame Street” Muppeteers Jen Barnhart and Pam Arciero

Sesame Street’s Jen Barnhart, Alan Muraoka and Pam Arciero. Photo by Lia Chang
Source: The Met
May art bring you good fortune! Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, with performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages on Saturday, January 21 from 11am-5pm at The Met, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street New York, NY 10028.

You’ll be able to take a photo with Alan Muraoka, the beloved owner of Hooper’s Store  and “Sesame Street” Muppeteers Jen Barnhart and Pam Arciero on Floor 1, Egyptian Art, Gallery 131, Temple of Dendur – 11:30 am–12:15 pm, 1–1:45 pm, 2:30–3:15 pm, 4–4:45 pm. 

Note: For safety purposes, we’ll maintain a short distance between the performers and the audience.

Floor 1, Egyptian Art, Gallery 131, Temple of Dendur

All activities are free with Museum admission, and no registration is required. Admission is free for Members and kids under 12. For New York state residents and NY, NJ, and CT students, the amount you pay is up to you.

View the schedule in English.
View the schedule in Spanish. Ver el programa en español.
View the schedule in simplified Chinese. 查看简体中文版的活动日程。
View the schedule in Korean. 한국어로 프로그램 일정 보기.

Schedule of Events
All activities run from 11 am to 5 pm unless otherwise noted. Programs are subject to change.

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Performances and Photo Ops

Space is limited; first come, first served.

Lunar New Year Lion Dance

11–11:30 am, 1–1:30 pm, 3–3:30 pm

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

Floor 1, Great Hall

AAPI Jazz Collective Led by Peter Lin

12–12:30 pm, 2–2:30 pm, 4–4:30 pm

Hear music from many Asian cultures, including China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, reimagined within a jazz context.

Floor 1, Great Hall

Shadow Theatre Storytime

11:30 am–12 pm, 12:30–1 pm, 2–2:30 pm

Tickets distributed 15 minutes prior at event location.

Gather to hear Grandma Rabbit’s tale in this traditional Chinese shadow performance from Chinese Theatre Works.

Ground Floor, Art Study Room, Uris Center for Education

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Art Activities

Meet artists and make art inspired by The Met collection! Drop in anytime.

Unless otherwise noted, activities are best for ages 3 and up.

Low visionHands-on opportunities available

Zodiac Zone: Shrinky Dinks Charms

Discover your sign and create a miniature charm to represent your Chinese zodiac animal.
Ground Floor, Studio, Uris Center for Education

To the Beat of the Hand Drum

Ring in the New Year with rhythm and construct your own hand drum.

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

Design an Animal Helmet

Take inspiration from an impressive Japanese rabbit kawari-kabuto and other headpieces to construct your own animal helmet.

Ground Floor, Carson Family Hall East, Uris Center for Education

Paper Blossoms

Create a celebratory bouquet using a variety of paper craft techniques. 

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 202, Great Hall Balcony

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Gallery Activities

Ask the Experts: Handscroll Demonstration

Peek at technique and learn how works of art were created through demonstrations and conversations with Museum staff. 

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 217, Chinese Courtyard in the Style of the Ming Dynasty

Gallery Chats

Drop in for a short conversation with Met volunteer guides about their favorite works of art.

11:30 am–12:30 pm Conversation in Korean, Gallery 233

11:30 am–12:30 pm Conversation in Mandarin, Gallery 208

1–2 pm Conversation in Mandarin, Gallery 208

1–2 pm Conversation in English, Gallery 211

2:30–3:30 pm Conversation in Mandarin, Gallery 208

4–5 pm Conversation in English, Gallery 207

Creative Calligraphy

Express yourself with Chinese and Korean calligraphy through guided brushwork.

Floor 2, Asian Art, Gallery 202, Great Hall Balcony

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Demonstrations and Pop-Ups

Tea Ceremony and Bubble Tea Tasting

Cheers the New Year with bubble tea and a demonstration by tea masters from Ten Ren Tea.

12:30–1 pm, 2:30–3 pm Tea Ceremony

1:30–2 pm, 3:30–4 pm Bubble Tea Tasting

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

Korean Fan Dance Workshop

12–12:30 pm, 1:30–2 pm, 3:30–4 pm

Tickets distributed 15 minutes prior at event location.

Learn a traditional fan dance with dancers from the New York Korean Performing Arts Center.

Ground Floor, Carroll Classroom, Uris Center for Education

Pop-Up Shop: Yu and Me Books 

Shop local at Yu and Me, a Chinatown bookshop focusing on community and immigrant stories.

Floor 1, Gallery 534, Patio from the Castle of Vélez Blanco

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Quiet Spaces

Need a break?

Check out these quiet galleries and enjoy some art away from the action.

Floor 1, Greek and Roman Art, Galleries 163–168, Leon Levy and Shelby White Court

Floor 2, Asian Art, Galleries 208 and 233

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Virtual Events

Can’t come in person? Experience prerecorded activities online, which will be accessible here closer to the event.

For more details, email familyprograms@metmuseum.org

#MetLunar

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wheelchair accessibility symbol Access (Other Than Print or Braille) for Individuals Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision accessibility symbol. Image of a person with a support cane. large print availibility accessibility symbol. A black square with black text: Large Print. Braille accessibility symbol. Six dots arranged in the formation of a rectangle, three dots high and two across. Assistive listening devices accessibility symbol. An image of a Ear with two curved lines curving the outside of the ear to signify sounds and dots inside the ear to signify hearing. sign language accessibility symbol. Two hands making the ASL letter "F", one upright and the other one is inverted. The pointer finger and thumb touch making a circle while the other fingers are free.

Stop by the welcome table in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education (ground floor) to request an assistive listening device, an American Sign Language interpreter, a sighted guide, and a large-print or Braille schedule of events, or to learn more about access accommodations, programs, and resources at The Met. You can also access The Met’s sensory-friendly resources online and take a break in the quiet galleries.

During this period of high virus transmission, masks are strongly recommended.

See the visitor guidelines.

Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, activist, documentarian and an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Lia is also the host and Executive Producer of BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG, an Arts and Entertainment and Lifestyle program that airs on Sundays at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and MNN2.

Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. Her short film, When the World Was Young garnered a 2021 DisOrient Film Audience Choice Award for Best Short Narrative. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young. She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2023 Lia Chang Multimedia, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang, unless otherwise indicated. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at backstagepasswithliachang@gmail.com.
www.liachang.com, www.liachangphotography.com

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