PRESS RELEASE
ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH TO CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR 2023
Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) will mark Lunar New Year on 21 January 2023 with a series of events at the National Maritime Museum.
Lunar New Year refers to the celebration at the beginning of a new year in a number of communities across Asia. It is also known as the Spring Festival. Traditions practiced during this time include reunions with family, eating traditional meals together, distributing red envelopes, as well as parades and lantern displays. Several Asian countries observe the zodiac, with many countries celebrating the Year of the Rabbit in 2023.
Lunar New Year has been commemorated at the National Maritime Museum for over 20 years, to give visitors a chance to engage more deeply with the Asian objects in RMG’s collection and celebrate the long relationship between Britain and Asia. RMG will be working with community groups to deliver free workshops, talks and performances at the Museum, suitable for all ages. There are also Lunar New Year resources on the RMG website, and there will be related events at the other Royal Museums Greenwich sites.
For the latest information and the full schedule, visit https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/lunar-new-year
Workshops and Demonstrations
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: Throughout the day
Location: Propeller Space
Meet the Lion
Newham Chinese Association volunteers are bringing along their own Lunar New Year lion. Come along and learn more about the lion dance tradition.
Time: Throughout the day
Location: Propeller Space
Royal Seals
Design a royal seal to take home during this print workshop. Use symbols and words to create a custom stamp and sign the Lunar New Year wall.
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Location: Learning Space
Lantern Making
Families are invited along to create their own lantern for the new year.
Location: ReThink Space
Talks and Tours
Objects in Focus
Learn and explore the collection up close with RMG curators who have selected some special objects relating to the Lunar New Year.
Time: Throughout the day
Character Encounter with James Robson
Explore the Traders gallery with 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.
Times: 11.00 | 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00
Location: Traders Gallery
Curious Collections with Asian Connections
Find out about fascinating objects from the collection that have East and Southeast Asian connections. This special tour will cover multiple galleries and be led by the Curator of World History and Cultures, Dr Aaron Jaffer.
Location: Meet by the Traders Gallery, on the Great Map
Calligraphy Demonstration
Join Carmen Yau as she demonstrates the essence of calligraphy.
Location: Lecture Theatre
Tea Ceremony
Chew-Yeen Lawes from Global Fusion Music and Arts demonstrates to visitors the mindful tea ceremony.
Location: Lecture Theatre
Performances
Lion Dance
Congregate outside the Romney Road entrance to the Museum as the annual Lion Dance opens the Museum’s celebrations.
Time: 10.00
Location: Romney Road entrance
Performances on the Great Map
There will be a number of performances on the Great Map across the day including additional opportunities to see the Lion Dance performed by London Lion Dance.
Times: 11.30 | 13.00 | 14.30 | 16.00
Location: The Great Map
Greenwich Light Time – Lunar New Year
The day of celebration will end with visitors being directed across the road to the Old Royal Naval College where they will get a better view of a light display which will be projected onto the Queen’s House, featuring special Lunar New Year themed illuminations.
Location: Old Royal Naval College
OTHER LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENTS AT ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH
Chinese Astronomy Planetarium Show
The study of the heavens has a long history in China dating back thousands of years. An astronomer from the Royal Observatory will explore the links between the Chinese calendar and the motion of the Sun, Moon, and stars. They will go into detail about Lunar New Year, the naming of each year and the relation with astronomy. No discussion of Chinese astronomy would be complete without a look at the latest achievements of the nation’s space program, from the soft landing on the far side of the Moon, to their mission to Mars.
Date: 21 January 2023
Time: 10.30 – 11.30
Age: Suitable for ages 7 and above
Location: Royal Observatory Greenwich, Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: Adult £10 | Child £5
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/planetarium-shows/chinese-astronomy
Bilingual Families Planetarium Show
Explore the Universe in a language other than English in our Bilingual Families planetarium show, designed for bilingual and multilingual families. An astronomer will take you on a tour of our vast and intriguing Universe and show you our little corner of it: the Solar System. Starting from our home planet, the Earth, the show will travel through our celestial neighbourhood, visiting objects like planets, moons, and asteroids, and ending with a fly-out to view our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Dates: 11 Feb 2023 – Delivered in Mandarin | 12 February 2023 – Delivered in Cantonese
Time: 10.30 – 11.00
Age: Suitable for ages 7 and above
Location: Royal Observatory Greenwich, Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: Adult £10 | Child £5
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/bilingual-families
ONLINE RESOURCES
Explore East and Southeast Asian items in the collection
Aaron Jaffer, Curator of World History and Cultures at Royal Museums Greenwich, highlights some of the objects from the National Maritime Museum's collections related to East and Southeast Asia.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/east-southeast-asian-collections-connections
How to make a hongbao for the New Year
Hongbao are red envelopes, traditionally given to children and young adults in China, but many other cultures celebrate the new year with the giving of envelopes too. Using some simple origami, create your own envelope to give to someone to celebrate the new year.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-make-hongbao-new-year
How to create an auspicious fish poster for Lunar New Year
The image of the fish on many Lunar New Year posters symbolises a wish for an auspicious year. Create your own to decorate your home with this activity from Hantastic Kids.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-make-lucky-fish-poster-lunar-new-year
How to make an origami flower
The lotus flower is a popular theme in Vietnamese culture, and it is rooted in Buddhism. The flowers grow out from the depth of muddy waters where they rise towards the sun, blooming. Just like the lotus flower, we too can overcome difficulties, grow, and thrive.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-make-origami-flower
Chinese tea ceremonies and traditions
From weddings and holidays to hope for the new year, learn more about the history of tea traditions in China – and find out how to prepare for your very own Chinese tea ceremony.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/chinese-tea-ceremonies-traditions
James Robson
Meet James Robson, a cook on board the Cutty Sark. Discover what life was like on board the Cutty Sark and find out what’s for dinner.
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Onem-n-y64
The Legend of Nian (BSL)
Join Deaf storyteller Deepa Shastri as she tells the story of Nian, a legendary monster. Discover why red is a good luck colour in China and why people wear brightly coloured clothes to celebrate the New Year. This story is in British Sign Language, with voiceover interpretation and captions.
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPjXOiQefb8
How do people celebrate Chinese New Year – Newham Chinese Association
Find out more about how and why people celebrate Chinese New Year with our local partners the Newham Chinese Association. From dances and decoration to food and festivities, what are the origins of new year celebrations today?
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/how-do-people-celebrate-chinese-new-year
INFORMATION FOR VISITORS:
Venue: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
Date: 21 January 2023
Opening times: 10.00 – 17.00
Admission: Free
Visitor enquiries: 020 8858 4422
Twitter: @RMGreenwich
Instagram: @royalmuseumsgreenwich
Facebook: @royalmuseumsgreenwich
GENERAL INFORMATION
The National Maritime Museum holds the world’s largest maritime collection telling stories of Britain’s epic relationship with the sea, housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.
The National Maritime Museum is part of Royal Museums Greenwich which also incorporates the Royal Observatory, the 17th-century Queen’s House and the clipper ship Cutty Sark. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings, which form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are also major centres of education and research. The mission of Royal Museums Greenwich is to enrich people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space, and Britain's role in world history. For more information, visit www.rmg.co.uk.
For further information or images please contact:
Royal Museums Greenwich Press Office
Tel: 020 8312 6545/6789/6589
Email: press@rmg.co.uk