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Welcome in the new year with a day of celebration, performances and activities at the National Maritime Museum.

Take part in family-friendly workshops, discover museum objects connected with south east Asia, and don't miss the spectacular lion dances held on the Great Map, right in the heart of the National Maritime Museum.

All activities at the National Maritime Museum are FREE. You can book Museum tickets in advance to guarantee entry, or simply turn up on the day and join the celebrations - Book your FREE ticket now.
NOTE: Your tickets do not guarantee access to performances, talks and activities on the day. These will work on a first come, first served basis.

Below find some of the highlights of the day:

Performances on the Great Map
Head to the Great Map to celebrate the year of the Dragon with a range of incredible performances from local groups.
This year's performances include a Taiwanese ribbon dance, Korean harp, a martial arts demonstration and - of course - the magnificent lion dance!

Performance Time:   11:00am | 12:30pm | 2:00pm | 3:30pm
Location:                   The Great Map

NOTE: The Great Map has limited capacity, so wristbands for each performance will be handed out on the day to ensure as many people as possible can attend a show. Spectators will be asked to sit on the floor; for those unable to do this, an accessible viewing area will be provided. All visitors will be asked to leave the Map when the performance is over.

Workshops and Family Fun
Get stuck into a range of hands-on activities, craft sessions and games.

Lunar Fans Workshop (Drop-in session)
Inspired by the lunar festival, create and decorate fans to look like the Moon. 
Time:              10:00am - 5:00pm 
Location:        Rethink Space
* Suitable for all ages and abilities.

Magnificent Dragons Workshop (Drop-in session)
Create your own magnificent dragon to celebrate the new year.
Time:              10:00am - 5:00pm 
Location:        Learning Space
* Suitable for all ages and abilities.

Character Encounter with James Robson
Meet James Robson, a Chinese lascar (sailor) who served on the fastest and greatest of the tea clippers, Cutty Sark. Find out about the struggles of the tea trade between Britain and China on your journey, and the impact of the 19th-century Opium Wars on both countries.
Time:             Throughout the day
Location:       Traders Gallery

Learn to Play Mahjong 
Meet volunteers from Newham Chinese Association and learn about the traditional game, Mahjong. Volunteers will teach families how to play and may even challenge visitors to a game.
Time:             11:00am - 2:00pm
Location:        By the figureheads 
* Suitable for ages 6+

Hmong Hat Making Workshop 
Join artist Chery Nguyen for a Hmong hat making workshop and learn more about the vibrant visual culture of the Hmong peoples of Laos, Vietnam and China.
Time:              TBC
Location:        TBC

Talks and Stands
Museum collections, expert speakers and fascinating stories take centre stage in the new year celebrations.

The Tea Ceremony 
Join Chew-Yeen from Global Fusion Music and Arts to learn about the Chinese tea ceremony.
Time:              TBC
Location:        TBC
* Suitable for all ages and abilities. Capacity is limited and entry will be on a first come, first served basis. The Lecture Theatre is a dark space and accessed via steps or a lift.

Asian Slaw Alliance
Jenny Lau invites Asian food lovers to reclaim and reimagine the ‘Asian’ in ‘Asian slaw’ according to their heritage and memories in this conversation. Asian Slaw Alliance is a creative, trope-busting, food storytelling project by Lau, founder of Celestial Peach.
Time:              TBC
Location:        Lecture Theatre 
* Suitable for all ages and abilities. Capacity is limited and entry will be on a first come, first served basis. The Lecture Theatre is a dark space and accessed via steps or a lift.

Lunar New Year - its symbols and significance
The Year of the Dragon is seen by many in east and south-east Asia as being particularly auspicious, when the birth of a baby is planned, a new venture set up, or a major trip undertaken. Why is the zodiac so important and what does each sign represent? In this talk by Wenlan Peng of The Meridian Society, learn about the symbols and traditions related to the Lunar New Year and why they remain so significant to this day. 
Time:              TBC
Location:        Lecture Theatre 
* Suitable for all ages and abilities. Capacity is limited and entry will be on a first come, first served basis. The Lecture Theatre is a dark space and accessed via steps or a lift.

Korean Calligraphy (Drop-in session)
Join artists Kil Chan Lee and Tae Young Lee to discover Korean calligraphy and how your name would be spelled in this traditional form of artistic expression.
Location:        Propellor Space

Chinese Astronomy Planetarium Show
Make your way up the hill to see the live planetarium show exploring Chinese astronomy. A Royal Observatory astronomer will guide you through topics in ancient and modern Chinese astronomy, including the Sun, Moon, stars and space exploration.If you can't make it on 3rd February, there are plenty more dates throughout the year you can catch this show. Bookings required.
Time: 10:30am 
Location: Peter Harrison Planetarium at the Royal Observatory 
Learn more and Book now