Celebrate the launch of our new Ancient Egypt, East Asia and Ceramics galleries(click) with a packed half term programme of exciting cultural demonstrations and activities.

There’s music, dance, costume and craft from Japan and Korea, an Ancient Egypt family show with expert Q&A and some very special performances to mark Chinese New Year.

Sat 9 February – East Asia Celebration
Grand Gallery, Level 1 12:30-16:30

Enjoy vibrant music and dance performances with a Chinese Lion dance, the Mugenkyo Taiko Japanese drummers and K-Pop cover group KOLOUR.

Performance times:

12:30 Chinese Lion Dance
13:30 Mugenkyo Taiko drummers
14:00 KOLOUR K-Pop cover group
14:30 Mugenkyo Taiko drummers
15:00 KOLOUR K-Pop cover group
16:05 Chinese dance and music

Sun 10 February – East Asia Family Activity Day
Grand Gallery, Level 1 11:00-16:00

Enjoy a day of family-friendly cultural activities and performances from China, Japan and Korea. Activities include:

Chinese knot making, paper lanterns and crafts, costume photobooth and games
Japanese kimono corner, flower-arranging (Ikebana) speed challenge (sign up for your slot between 11:00-13:00), and paper crafts
Korean costume try-on, paper crafts, traditional children’s games.
There will also be the following performances:

11:00-11:15 Huiwen Middle School Golden Sail Choir
14:00-15:00 Japanese Tea Ceremony (Auditorium Level 1)
14:30-14:45 Edinburgh Tae Kwon Do demonstration
15:00-15:10 Salpuri traditional Korean dance by Hein Song
15:30-16:00 Hoshuko Japanese School Livingston choir performance followed by music and dance
Auditorium, Level 1
Japanese Tea Ceremony
14:00-15:00
Free, no need to book (150 places available)

Join Mio Shudo, Urasenke Japanese Tea Master for an introduction and demonstration of Cha-no-you: The Way of Tea. Originating in 16th century Japan, the four principles of the tea ceremony are harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity. It also synthesises the arts of flower arranging, calligraphy, poetry, pottery, kimono and philosophy into a way of life.

Tue 12 February – Paper Celebration Day
Grand Gallery 12:00-16:00
Free, drop-in/sign up for a slot

Paper and writing is an important part of each country and culture featured in our new galleries. Today you can try your hand at Chinese, Japanese and Korean calligraphy, explore ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and make some beautiful paper craft decorations to take home.

Kamishibai storytelling sessions

Kamishibai is ‘paper play’ storytelling using a mini paper theatre or storyboards and was a popular form of pop-up street theatre before people had televisions. Join storytellers Mio Shudo and Fergus McNicol at the following times:

11:00 (20 mins) suitable for under 5s and family
12:00 (25 mins) suitable for everyone
14:00 (25 mins) suitable for everyone
Free, drop-in. Please check on the day for location.