Family Programs

Special Family Programs | Family Festival | AsiaAlive | Yoga Flow | Storytelling |

Art Projects to Make at Home

The museum's interactive Family Programs allow parents and children to explore the many aspects of Asian art and culture together. Listen to lively storytelling in the galleries, watch a video or performance, or create a piece of original artwork—these are just a few of the entertaining activities the whole family can enjoy. So bring the kids and have some fun learning about art!

Unless indicated otherwise, all Family Programs are FREE with museum admission, and kids 12 and under always get in FREE!

For more information on Family Programs, e-mail familyprograms@asianart.org or call 415.581.3666. All dates and times are subject to change; please check our calendar for the latest updates.

Special Family Programs

Pasko!

Sunday, December 6

Art of the Parol Slide Lecture

11:30 am–1:00 pm

Education Studios

Hands–on Parol Workshop

Baybayin Demonstration

1:00–4:00 pm

Samsung Hall

Part of the Target First Free Sunday program

Celebrate Pasko, the Filipino Christmas, and explore the parol, the illuminated star, a symbol of community, which helps define Filipino Christmas festivities. Attend a lecture on the art of parol with MC Canlas of the Bayanihan Community Center and the Filipino–American Development Foundation in the Education Studios from 11:30 am–1:00 pm, and then learn how to make your own parol at a workshop led by members of the Bayanihan Community Center from 1:00–4:00 pm. Also on hand are artists Christian Cabuay and Ray Haguisan, putting a contemporary spin on the ancient Tagalog script, Baybayin. You won't want to miss this!

"Target First Free Sundays"—free admission on the first Sunday of every month and the family programs offered on that day—is made possible by Target. Free admission to Target First Free Sundays is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Supplies are limited. Due to capacity restrictions, admission is not guaranteed.

Mochitsuki! Mochi Pounding Ceremony

Saturday, January 9

Mochi Pounding Ceremony

12:00–1:00 pm

Samsung Hall

Hands–on activity

1:00–4:00 pm

Education Studios 

Celebrate the Japanese New Year with Kagami Kai. Join this venerable San Francisco institution as they present the colorful and exciting New Year tradition of mochi (delectably sweet rice cakes) pounding with music dance and costumes. Afterward, stick around and draw omikuji, written fortunes about the upcoming year. Don’t worry if you get an unfavorable fortune—tie it to a tree in the hopes that your bad fortune won’t come true!

Year of the Tiger  

Sunday, February 7

Lion Dance

12:00–12:30 pm

Hands-on activities

1:30–4:00 pm

Author Reading

2:00–2:45

Samsung Hall

Part of the Target First Free Sunday program

Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger at the Asian Art Museum! Students of the Chinese American International School (CAIS) present Chinese classical music and dances from Chinese ethnic minorities, ending with a playful lion dance arranged by the students. The lion dance is an important part of every new year celebration and is believed to scare away evil spirits and insure a bright new beginning.  After the performance, listen to Oliver Chin read the newest book from his Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series, The Year of the Tiger, a charming tale about Teddy the tiger and his human friend, Su. Stick around and color pictures from the book, illustrated by Justin Roth, have your face painted like a tiger, create your own red envelopes (hung bao), decorate them with auspicious symbols, and fill with chocolate coins to give to friends and family.

"Target First Free Sundays"—free admission on the first Sunday of every month and the family programs offered on that day—is made possible by Target. Free admission to Target First Free Sundays is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to capacity restrictions, admission is not guaranteed.

Family Festival

Spring Family Festival

Sunday, May 9, 2010

10:30 am—4:00 pm

Museum-wide

Families throughout the Bay Area are invited to celebrate Mother’s Day—as well as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month—at the Asian Art Museum’s Spring Family Festival on Sunday, May 9 from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. An annual museum-wide event during which the cultural and artistic traditions of Asia come alive, the festival celebrates the parent-child relationship with a fun-filled day of engaging programs—all FREE with museum admission—that promise to delight and excite the imaginations of both young and old.

AsiaAlive

AsiaAlive is a free, interactive, drop-in program for all ages, featuring live artist demonstrations, hands-on activities, and videos and books on rotating themes. See the upcoming AsiaAlive schedule.

YogA Flow

First Sunday of every month

2:00–3:00 pm

Education Studios. Check at the Information Desk upon arrival.

Part of the Target First Free Sunday program

Get centered with Yoga Flow. Learn basic poses (asanas) for balance, flexibility and strength as you move your body into positions inspired by sculptures in the museum collection. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat.

Storytelling

Every Sunday

1:00 pm

FREE with museum admission

The Asian Art Museum Storytellers bring the galleries to life with the myths and folktales of Asia.

art projects to make at home

Learn more about Asian art and cultural traditions with these fun, hands-on art projects you can make at home.

New Activity! Make a Thai Style Shadow puppet (pdf) and Thai Spirit House (pdf)

Mempo Mask (pdf)

Kimono Doll Finger Puppet (pdf)

Stencil (Katazome) Kimono (pdf)

Katazome is a traditional Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil. Try designing fun kimono using different patterns and colors.

Samurai Helmet (Kabuto) (pdf)

Template One (pdf)

Template Two (pdf)

Template Three (pdf)

Chashitsu: Japanese Teahouse Model (pdf)
Make your own three dimensional Teahouse and decorate with colors and fun materials.

Samurai Armor Instructions (pdf)

Template One (pdf)

Template Two (pdf)

Samurai Sword Instructions (pdf)

Make a tsuba (sword guard) and a sword at home with paper, ribbon and other simple materials.

Haiku Instructions

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry made of three lines (5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables) that is commonly a meditation on nature. Make an image using colorful paper and ink, and then write a haiku inspired by your creation.

Lead funding for the Asian Art Museum’s education programs and activities is provided by the Bank of America Foundation.

Major support provided by the Freeman Foundation, the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, and the Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation.

"Target First Free Sundays"—free admission on the first Sunday of every month and the family programs offered on that day—is made possible by Target. Free admission to Target First Free Sundays is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to capacity restrictions, admission is not guaranteed.

Additional support provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Louise Rosenberg & Claude Rosenberg Jr. Family Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation, the Mary Tanenbaum Fund, the Robert and Helen Odell Fund, the United States-Japan Foundation, the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, the Joseph R. McMicking Foundation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Dodge & Cox, the Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation, the Mervyn L. Brenner Foundation, Inc., and the Joel E. Ferris Foundation.

Support for AsiaAlive is provided by the Walter & Elise Haas Fund.

The Art Speak teen program made possible in part by a grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Company.