South Street Seaport Museum to Present Lunar New Year Programming

South Street Seaport Museum will present Lunar New Year at the Seaport Museum on Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 11am to 5pm. Presented as part of the neighborhood Lunar New Year Celebration at the Seaport, celebrate the Year of the Snake with the Seaport Museum. Enjoy free admission to the Seaport Museum, and participate in an exciting day of cultural activities!

Immerse yourself in engaging Chinese Calligraphy Workshops and maritime-inspired craft activities to usher in the Year of the Snake, presented in collaboration with the New York Chinese Cultural Center and the Seaport. Explore special activities happening at the Museum throughout the day.

Chinese Calligraphy Workshop | 2pm, 3pm, 4pm

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, join the Seaport Museum and skilled teaching artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center for one of three delightful 45-minute workshops exploring the art of Chinese Calligraphy and its importance to the Lunar New Year.

Using a traditional calligraphy brush, participants will be instructed on how to write simple characters while exploring the relationship between ancient Chinese pictographs and their modern-day ideographs. Together, we will learn the evolution of the Chinese characters that tie to fish, the sea, and a prosperous New Year.

While primarily designed for children ages 7-12, these workshops are open to all ages for free.

Nautical Chinese Lion Chains | 11am-4:30pm

Celebrate the Lunar New Year by making a maritime-inspired spin on a Chinese Lion Chain craft. Come create your own, unique lion chain decoration using paper links inspired by the colorful signal flags, which sailors use to communicate.

This fun-filled activity is in partnership with the New York Chinese Cultural Center.

Enjoy More That the Museum Offers

Access to the historic ships and exhibition galleries at the Seaport Museum is free for the Lunar New Year neighborhood celebration from 11am to 5pm. Admission tickets grant access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree at Pier 16 and all current exhibitions on view in the introduction galleries inside Schermerhorn Row located at 12 Fulton Street. Free timed tours of the 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16 are available separately.

Fulton Street and Seaport Square will also come alive with dynamic lion dance performances starting at 12pm and 1pm. theseaport.nyc/events/lunar-new-year