Sunday Art: Lunar New Year, 2022; Photo: Elena Olivo; Courtesy Brooklyn Museum
Join the many celebrations at our local AWNY museums and institutions in the coming weeks as we welcome the Lunar Year of the Snake! Enjoy an array of activities, from captivating lion dances and creative art-making sessions to engaging storytelling and lively music performances—there’s something to delight visitors of all ages!
As we transition from the vibrant and dynamic energy of the Year of the Dragon, the Lunar New Year in 2025 ushers in the wise and intuitive spirit of the Snake, the sixth animal in the zodiac cycle. Celebrated across East Asia and beyond, the Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new zodiac cycle and is a time for honoring traditions, reuniting with family, and inviting good fortune. A symbol of transformation and wisdom, the Snake inspires opportunities for personal growth and meaningful change.
Celebrate this auspicious New Year by joining the exciting events hosted by our local AWNY member museums listed below!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Lunar New Year Festival: The Year of the Snake
Saturday, January 25, 12-5pm
Free with Museum admission
Celebrate the New Year with performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages! 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.
To learn more, click here.
Brooklyn Museum
Weekend Art: Sunday Art Hang
Sunday, January 26, 2-4pm
Free with Museum admission
Bring the family to this free drop-in program in collaboration with Cool Culture where you’ll create art inspired by the collection and enjoy a lion dance performance by the Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club at 3 pm.
To learn more, click here.
They are also offering 20% off tickets to their current Solid Gold exhibition to all visitors! Just use the special discount code: LUNAR25 (expiration date: Feb 10, 2025) when purchasing.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Japan Society
Oshogatsu: New Year’s Celebration
Sunday, January 26, 11:30am-3:30pm
Ticketed
Celebrate the New Year Japanese-style with a taiko drum performance, hands-on calligraphy, lion dancing, and more! Japanese boxed lunches and snacks will be available for purchase on-site from BentOn.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Asia Society
Lunar New Year at the Leo Bar
Friday January 31, 5:30-8pm
Ticketed
Welcome the New Year in the Garden Court with snacks, a Lunar New Year cocktail and mocktail, fortune telling, and a lion dance performance! A ticket includes one drink, followed by a cash bar.
To purchase tickets, click here.
China Institute
Lunar New Year Festival 2025
Sunday, February 2, 2-5pm
Ticketed
Experience a once-in-a-lifetime cultural extravaganza as they bring the enchantment of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum—a national first-class museum and one of the most prestigious cultural treasures of China—to the heart of New York City. Join an afternoon of interactive workshops, music performances and more for all ages.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Charles B. Wang Center
Sangjaru: Korean Folk Gypsy Swing
Thursday, February 20 at 6pm
Ticketed
Experience an exhilarating performance by Sangjaru, the dynamic Korean folk fusion band that masterfully blends traditional Korean music with the vibrant rhythms of gypsy swing, funk, rock, and improvisation.
To purchase tickets, click here.