December 17, 2022
Courtesy of/Penn Museum
Celebrate Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rabbit at Penn Museum on Saturday, Jan. 21 with a full day of performances, crafts, and other special events. Tickets are included with museum admission.
People of all ages are invited to Penn Museum this January for a full day of festivities celebrating the Lunar New Year. The holiday traditionally begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon.
The holiday is widely celebrated in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tibetan cultures, and welcomes in the new year with feasts, gift exchanges, lantern lightings, and offerings to gods and goddesses. This year, Penn Museum is partnering with the American Chinese Museum on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.
MORE: Sip wine and solve a murder mystery with Chaddsford Winery this January
Visitors can shop at a vendor marketplace and take part in make-and-take crafts to commemorate the holiday. There will be paper-cutting activities, zodiac animal coloring pages, Year of the Rabbit crafts, and paper lantern decorating for kids and families to enjoy.
The day will be filled with traditional and contemporary performances stationed across the museum. The morning starts with a traditional Chinese dance class from the Great Wall Chinese School with a double row keyboard performance to follow. The American Chinese Museum will be on site to read stories about the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rabbit at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m.
CultureFest culminates with a lion dance performance from the University of Pennsylvania's Traditional Chinese Lion Dance Troupe. Before heading out for the day, visitors can check out another performance from the Philadelphia Chinese Opera, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Chinese cultural heritage.
"Since 1981, CultureFest! Lunar New Year has grown to be one of our most popular events," said Tena Thomason, director of public engagement at Penn Museum. "As part of the museum's mission in fostering cross-cultural understanding, we welcome everyone to learn more about this holiday that began as a time to rest from farm work and be with loved ones."
Tickets for the Lunar New Year festival is included with museum admission. Tickets are $18 for adults, $13 for students, and $16 for seniors. For more information, please visit Penn Museum's official website.
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023
10 a.m. until 4 p.m. | $18 for adults, $13 for kids
Penn Museum
3260 South St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
