May’s Museum Stories calendar is packed with fun things to do in L.A for kids and adults. From Mother’s Day and Memorial Day holiday events to star gazing at the Huntington, there’s something for everyone this month.
MacArthur Park Tour: You gotta love a tour that begins and ends at Mama’s Hot Tamales!CAFAM’s Folk Art Walktour, led by local icon Carmelo Alvarez, focuses on MacArthur Park historic monuments and cultural landmarks (Sunday, May 20). Reservations Required.
Opening Reception:CAFAM’s opening reception this month celebrates two new exhibitions: Baseball: The All American Game (description below), and Production or Destruction, a solo exhibition of ceramist Ehren Tool (Saturday, May 26, 6-9 pm).
Live Talks Los Angeles: Ever wonder how the state of always “being on” (through modern technological devices) affects our ability to think, create and participate in the world? Then don’t miss Pico Iyer in conversation with KCRW’s Lisa Napoli about The Joy of Quiet: Desperate to Unplug at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, (May 17, 7:30 pm). Interesting to see if people will be texting and tweeting during the talk.
Vintage Film Series: See the dark side of the Golden State (and some cool shots of vintage Los Angeles and San Francisco), in LACMA’s The Sun Sets in the West: Mid-century Noir film series (May 18-19 & 25-26). Vintage film buffs also try to catch Mike Shiel’s lecture at the Hammer about his new book Hollywood Cinema and the Real Los Angelestracing the history of L.A. in film from the 1890’s to the 1950’s (Wednesday, May 30 7:00).
PICKS FOR KIDS: May 2012
Family Flick (5 yrs +): The Hammer’s Free Family Flick this month is Monkey Business– a perfect way to introduce your kids to the timeless comedic antics of the Marx Brothers (Sunday, May 6).
Preschool Adventures:The Huntington’s Tickets to Travelpreschool program takes little ones on an adventure into the world of railroads. Classes include garden and gallery visits, art projects, and stories (Wednesdays, May 9, 16, 23, 30). Registration required.
Hammer K.A.M.P. (all ages): The Hammer Kids K.A.M.P.(aka, the coolest day ever) is finally here. A team of established artists and creative pros will lead inventive workshops for kids of all ages. There’ll be lots of food including Sprinkles cupcakes, plus a few celebrity readers as well. And best of all, this annual family fundraiser supports the Museum’s free family programs (Sunday, May 20).
Family Star Gazing(all ages): Now what could be better than exploring the night sky with theSidewalk Astronomers at the Huntington? Families can star gaze using a variety of telescopes set-up on the lawn, and tour the astronomy exhibits in the Library (Saturday, May 26). Tickets required.
Younger Kids Workshops: Make your own kites and explore Afghan fighter kites with international kite master Basir Beria (who also worked on location in China on the movie The Kite Runner) in the Fowler’s Dancing with Kites workshop (Sunday, May 6).
Or check out Norton Simon’s Family Art Night Playing with Words – an art-making activity and workshop exploring artist Ed Ruscha’s creative use of text in his paintings (Friday, May 11. Ages 4-10)
Older Kids Workshops: If your kids love comic books like mine do, they’re sure to enjoy the Hammer’s All that Can Live on a Page. In this workshop, writer/illustrator Lee-Roy Lahey teaches kids how to translate their creative ideas into comics (Sunday, May 6. Ages 8-13).
Join the fun at SMMoA’s Cause for Creativity: The Knotwork Workshop, a unique public art-making project which will create a giant, six-sided rope hammock in the middle of Bergamot Station’s People’s Park. In the process, kids will learn the art of hammock making and go home with instructions on how to build one of their own at home (Saturday, May 5. Ages 10 yrs +).
Teen Events:LACMA’s After Dark offers middle school and high school age teens a hip evening of their own at the Museum filled with art, music and refreshments (Saturday, May 12). There’s also a two-day workshop at the Norton Simon Portraiture Re-mix: Exploring New Technology that teaches teens how to reinterpret works of art using new technology (May 19 and May 20).
HOLIDAY EVENTS:
Memorial Day(Monday, May 28): If you’ve got the day off, there’s aTarget Free Holiday event at LACMAwith live music by George Kahn Jazz and Blues Revue, bilingual tours, and activities for all ages. The Getty Villa, the Huntington, and MOCA are open on Mondays as well.
Mother’s Day: (Sunday, May 13): Going to brunch at a museum on Mother’s Day is a family tradition for us. A day filled with art, family, and no cooking – always sounds perfect to me. And this year there are more options than ever. The Huntington is offering three ways to treat moms on Mother’s Day; a Classical Outdoor Brunch with flute and harp performances, a Jazz Brunch with a 3-piece jazz ensemble, and their popular traditional English tea in the Rose Garden Tea Room.
For less traditional fare, LACMA’s Ray’s and Stark Bar Mother’s Day brunch menu is bound to please all you foodies out there. We’ve also lunched at the Getty Center and Villa cafes on Mother’s Day, and enjoyed strolling in the gardens afterwards.
There are some fun Mother’s Day art activities forfamilies too. Make handcrafted Mother’s Day cards inCAFAM’s Printed Storiesworkshop. Artist and author Leslie K. Gray leads the workshop and shares stories from her book The Pink Dress about her mother’s teenage years (Saturday, May 12). Or join in the Mothers’ DayBluegrass Family Jamat the Fowler and make your own instruments out of your recycled household items (Sunday, May 13).
NEW EXHIBITIONS:
Baseball: The All American Gameat CAFAM highlights over 40 works of baseball-inspired folk art and objects from the collection of Gary Cypres, owner of one of the largest sports memorabilia collections in the world (opens May 26).
Pearl of the Snowlands: Tibetan Buddhist Printing from the Derge Parkhangat the Fowler Museum. The exhibition includes twenty-five woodblock prints along with photographs depicting Tibetan architecture and ancient hand-printing process (now open).
The Painting Factory:Abstraction After Warhol at MOCA Grand Avenue explores the recent transformation of abstract painting in contemporary art (now open).
Project Mah Jongg at the Skirball is an exhibition about the history and meanings of the game of Mah Jongg, a popular American Jewish tradition since the 1920’s. Outside the exhibition, Kids can play a special game using Mah Jongg tiles plus other classic board games like checkers (opens May 17).
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Summer vacation is quickly approaching, and you know what that means - time to start making summer camp plans for the kids. Our Museum Stories list of L.A. museum kids summer camps was so popular last year that we’ve decided to do it again. This summer’s list includes readers’ favorite museum camps from last year, and a few new ones that we just discovered.
A + D Architecture and Design Museum children’s summer camp (see Museum Row“Making & Museums Summer Camp” listing below).
California Science Center’sHands-on Science offers over 25 imaginative science classes for children. Classes are taught in modern classroom and lab environments by trained educators and working professionals in science fields. And they compliment California State Science Standards. Now, how great is that! See schedule for specific class hours, extended day program available. Pre-school to 8th grade level classes.
Craft and Folk Art Museum (see Museum Row “Making & Museums Summer Camp” listing below).
Fowler Museum at UCLA Kids Muse Summer Camp: This year’s camp Letter-Mania focuses on the exhibition Order and Disorder about Italian artist Alighiero Boetti’s collaboration with Afghan women to create large-scale embroidered pieces. Children engage in art-making activities and interactive games inspired by Boetti’s use of numbers and letters in his collage designs.Two week-long sessions offered: Session 1 (July 16-20) for ages 6-8, and Session 2 (July 23-27) for ages 9-12. Camp hours 9 am-12 pm.
Huntington Gardens: Explorers Summer Day Camp promises a wide variety of engaging educational activities for kids, from garden and gallery explorations, to hands-on activities. Three weeks of camp offered from July 16 – August 3. Half and full day sessions available. Ages 5-12.
Kidspace Children’s Museum – Pasadena’s Kidspace Summer Camp features four weeks of fun-filled camp adventures from July 23- August 17. Themes include Arroyo Ecology, Gross! Anatomy, Physics, and Outer Space Explorations. Half and full day sessions available. Ages 6-10 and 7-11.
LACMASummer Art Camp: Children explore the museum’s galleries and their creativity in summer sessions taught by artists. Camp sessions for children ages 6-9 and ages 10-13. LACMA also offers Summer Art Classes for kids, teens, and families. LACMA’s summer programs are very popular and sell-out quickly, so register as soon as possible if you’re interested.
Museum Row Making & Museums Summer Camp: Three museums in the Museum Row district, A + D Architecture and Design Museum, the Craft and Folk Art Museum, and the Peterson Automotive Museum, team up for a week-long summer camp experience called Making and Museums not to be missed (June 23 – July 27). Campers spend an entire day exploring each of the museums and participate in art and design projects led by experienced staff. Register for the week or by the day. Camp hours 9 am – 3:30 pm. Ages 7-12.
Museum of Latin American Art:InMolaa’s bilingual Summer Art Camp children learn about Latin American art and culture through a wide range of activities – from visual arts workshops to martial arts classes. Plus, a culinary workshop every Thursday teaches campers how to prepare Latin American snacks. Four week-long sessions offered from July 9 – August 3. Camp hours 9 am-5 pm, extended childcare available.
Natural History Museum and the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits:Adventures in Nature summer camp gives children the opportunity to explore the Earth’s features, creatures, and cultures from around the world. Weekly sessions offered at both museums from July 9- August 10. Camp hours are 9 am-3 pm, extended childcare available. Grades K-8.
Norton Simon MuseumThursday Summer Fun: Join the museum staff on Thursdays for artful tours and workshops for children and their adult companions. Program themes to be announced.
Peterson Automotive Museum (see Museum Row ”Making & Museums Summer Camp” listing above).
Zimmer Children’s Museum: For the younger set (Pre-K to Kindergarten), you can’t beat Zimmer Summer Camp. This summer’s camp introduces children to the “Big Ideas” of community responsibilty, an essential part of early childhood development. Through play and hands-on activities, campers learn about responsibility to themselves, each other, and to our Planet Earth. Three week-long camps offered from June 25 – July 23. Camp hours 9am – 12pm. Ages 4-5.
In addition to these day camps, our L.A. museums are busy planning many more exciting summer kids activities and special events. I’ll keep you updated on these upcoming programs in my monthly events calendar so be sure to subscribe, and follow me on Twitter. And if you like this post, leave a comment or share it with your friends.
Spring is finally here, and April’s Museum Stories calendar is full of springtime things to do in Los Angeles. You’ll find plenty of creative ways to keep the kids busy over Spring Break, and throughout the month. And when you’re ready for some kid-free time, I’ve listed some great grown-up museum events for parents to explore on their own. Here are my April picks for kids and adults:
PICKS FOR KIDS: Japanese Gardens: The Huntington’s historic Japanese Gardens will reopen to the public on April 11 after a year-long 6.8 million dollar renovation. When I was young, the garden’s koi-filled ponds and moon bridge completely captivated my imagination. I can’t wait to take my kids and see what they think.
Spring Break Activities:If you’re looking for mid-week spring break kids activities, the Getty Villa is the place to go. During the first two weeks of April (when most schools are on Spring Break) there’s a Spicy Scents drop-in daily workshop. Children learn how to make perfumes using real spices, just like the ancient Greeks and Romans (April 1-15, except April 8, closed Tuesdays). Tickets required. Be sure to stop by the Villa’s children’s activity space, the Family Forum. My kids love the hands-on activities about ancient Greek vases.
Earth Day: On Earth Day Sunday, April 22, the Hammer presents a free screening of the extraordinary documentaryOceans – a film about the delicate ecology of the amazing world of creatures under the sea (8+ yrs). After the movie, check-out LACMA’s festivalEarth Day: Because Earth without Art is Eh(love that!). There’ll be a variety of eco-friendly activities for children and adults like bike-related films, nature art walks, tours, and artist-led workshops.
On Saturday, April 21 there’s an Earth Day Children’s Workshop at the Huntington. Kids not only get a chance to learn about the Huntington’s Conservatory rain forest plants, they’ll also meet some of the Wildlife Learning Centers’ rescue animal friends from around the world.
Easter Brunch:What could be better thanEaster brunchon the Huntington’s Garden Terrace lawn. In addition to a yummy buffet spread, there’s a kids’ corner buffet, an Easter egg hunt, and even a visit from the Easter Bunny (Sunday, April 8). Reservations required. Afterwards, take a stroll through the gardens, an ideal place to walk off all those brunch indulgences and chocolate eggs.
Family Festivals (all ages): The Skirball’s Puppet Festival celebrates the fanciful art of puppetry with a day full of performances, puppet making, and storytelling (Sunday, April 1). Tickets required. For a Spring inspired adventure, visit the Pacific Asia Museum’s Free Family Festival and celebrate the centennial of Japan’s gift of cherry trees to our nation’s capitol (Sunday, April 22).
Are your kids into mythology? Then don’t miss the fun at the Getty Villa’s Aphrodite and the Gods of Love Family Festival (Saturday, April 21). There’ll be live performances, storytelling, and hands-on activities about Aphrodite, the goddess of passion, beauty, and love. See the Villa’s current Aphrodite exhibition too if you have time. Tickets required.
Older Kids Workshops(10-14 yrs) In the Hammer’s (Mini) Words, Spoken workshop, pre-teens and teens can learn about the art of the spoken word from pro Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the PoeT (Sunday, April 15). The event concludes with a mini spoken-word slam.
Coming Up: Hammer Kids K.A.M.P. (aka, the coolest day ever) is Sunday, May 20, 2012. Proceeds from this event support the Museum’s free family programs. Tickets on sale now.
Cuban Rhythms and Jazz:Sierra Maestra of Buena Vista Social Club will be playing their thrilling Cuban rhythms at the Skirball (Thursday, April 5). This is a hot performance, so get your tickets now before they sell out. Later in the month, the great Kenny Burrell and Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimitedwill be performing at LACMA (Friday, April 27, 6pm). The performance is free so you’ll have some extra cash for LACMA’s trendy Stark Bar.
Last Call for Pacific Standard Time: The bad news is that PST is ending, but the good news is that a few exhibitions will be up until June, including the Chinese American Museum’s (CAM) Breaking Ground: Chinese American Architects in Los Angeles (1945-1980).So why not grab lunch downtown in the El Pueblo district and see CAM’s Breaking Ground this month – there are some very cool mid-century architectural studies on display (photo on right). You can learn more about the lives and work of the four L.A. Chinese American architects featured in the show at CAM’s Breaking Groundpanel discussion (Thursday, April 5, 6 pm).
Cooking Class:Eat, cook, and learn about the art of love at the Getty Villa’s culinary workshop Aphrodisiacs. This hands-on cooking class explores the role erotic magic and food played in the ancient world of courtship and marriage. This event includes a communal lunch. (Saturday/Sunday, April 14, 15, 28, 29). Tickets required.
Night Out: Mark your calendars, there’s an opening reception for the upcoming Mickalene Thomas and Isa Melsheimer exhibitions at the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA) on Friday evening, April 13.
OPENING THIS MONTH: Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center (April 3-August 26,2012) – This exhibition features a selection of L.A.-based photographer Herb Ritts’ vintage prints, magazine covers, Polaroids, and video projects.
Visions of Empire: The Quest for a Railroad Across American, 1840-1880at the Huntington (April 21-July 23). Train buffs are sure to enjoy the exhibition’s 200 collection items (including original letters, diaries, photos) chronicling the early days of U.S. railroad history, many on display for the first time.
Stay tuned. I’ll be blogging more about these exhibitions after they open.
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The guard counts our tickets at the door saying, “Okay, 1, 2, 3, in the back” and points us towards Metropolis II. I guess it isn’t hard to figure out that my kids and I are at LACMA to see the new Chris Burden sculpture.
On our way, Richard Serra’s huge Band sculpture grabs our attention. The kids can’t resist taking a quick run around the curved steel walls (well make that a quick walk around – no running in the galleries). But the anticipation of seeing Metropolis II’s speeding toy cars beckons us on.
It’s a Sunday morning in February (actually Super Bowl Sunday) about a month after the opening. The museum only allows 250 visitors in the gallery at a time, and it’s already at max capacity just 6 minutes after the start of the first run of the day. You can view the sculpture anytime the museum is open, but the cars run only three days a week (Fridays and weekends at scheduled intervals).
We step into the gallery. I’m surprised to see just as many adults as families with children. I quickly understand why. The sheer size of the sculpture combined with the frenetic motion of over 1,000 toy cars and trains is mesmerizing, no matter what age you are.
Here’s how it works. Magnetic force pulls the cars up the track; gravity brings them down; and resistance from curves in the track slow the cars down. The cars race along at the scale equivalent speed of 240 mph. About 100,000 cars circulate around the track every hour.
My boys (ages 7 & 9) join a group of children in front. And you know what strikes them first? The traffic. One of my boys says, “Look Mom, there’s traffic!” And what’s their favorite part of the sculpture? Watching the cars “crash.” For the record, there are no real pile-ups, but the cars do bump into each as they zoom down the track.
At first glance, Metropolis II has a kind of utopian feel. The cars and trains seem to run perfectly, almost like clockwork, through the sculpture’s unblemished city landscape — a striking mix of eclectic building materials like mosaic tiles and toy blocks. It’s a literal beehive of organized activity, buzzing noise and all.
But Chris Burden’s Metropolis II is more about urban reality, than utopia. The incessant noise of the cars clattering along the track creates an undertone of tension in the gallery. The noise, and the stop and go motion of the cars, work together to evoke the real, often stressful, energy of a 21st Century city.
In the video below, Chris Burden says that the days of free moving cars are about to end. The artist likens our current urban condition to turn of the century New York City with horse-drawn carriages, just before the dawn of the automobile. Burden is certain that something else is about to arrive. But until that day comes, he’s created something that really does capture Los Angeles’ car-infused urban experience, traffic and all.
Good to Know: What about Metropolis I?Metropolis I was commissioned by a Japanese museum. The sculpture was only on view to the public for six months. It had 80 toy cars on a single track highway.
More facts about Metropolis II: A private collector, billionaire Nicolas Berggruen, owns Metropolis II. Berggruen loaned the sculpture to LACMA for at least 10 years. The sculpture has 1,100 toy cars, 1 dozen trains, 18 roadways and a 6 lane freeway. All the Hot Wheels-sized cars were custom-made by the artist.
Who is Chris Burden? Artist Chris Burden lives and works in Los Angeles. It took Burden four years to complete Metropolis II in his Topanga Canyon studio. He also created LACMA’s iconic Urban Lightsculpture, made with over 200 L.A. lampposts, located in front of the museum along Wilshire Boulevard. Burden is also known for his work as a performance artist; most notably, for an art gallery performance where Burden was shot in the arm by a friend.
March is here, and its Museum Stories’ first anniversary! What a fantastic year it’s been, filled with so many unforgettable museum adventures. There are exciting changes ahead to make next year even better starting with a new blog design. My monthly calendar will continue to keep you up to date on the best museum special events for kids and adults. Regularly scheduled museum kids activities, however, will be posted separately from now on.
MY PICKS FOR KIDS: Festivals (all ages): Are your kids obsessed with cars? We’re headed to the Petersen Automotive Museum forDeuce Day (Saturday, March 3). They’ll be over 500 of the world’s finest deuces (1932 Ford hot rods) on display. We’ll also be checking-out the Petersen’s new exhibition on Italian sports cars Sculpture in Motion: Masterpieces of Italian Design, and the ongoing exhibitions on super cool Scooters and Hot Wheels Hall of Famewith life-size versions of the most popular Hot Wheels toy cars.
Younger Kids Workshops:(4-8 yrs): The Fowler’s Letters, and Numbers, and Boetti! Oh My! is a good choice for younger kids (Sunday, March 25). In this workshop, children will make collages inspired by beautiful large-scale embroidery pieces on view in the Museum’s exhibition Order and Disorder– a must see show.
Older Kids Workshops: (7 yrs +): The Hammer’s comic book workshop Heroes and Villains is my top pick for ages 8-13 (Sunday, March 25). Writer/producer Kuang Lee will teach participants how to create comic book characters and stories based on their real life experiences. Be sure to see the Hammer’s new exhibition Intimate Immensity with paintings and drawings by seminal artists like Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, and Jackson Pollock – guaranteed to dazzle adults and kids alike.
At the Huntington there are two outdoor classes to foster your childrens’ science know how (ages 7-12): Moss is Boss (Saturday, March 17) and Not-So-Creepy Crawlers (Saturday, March 31).
This month the Norton Simon’s Stories in the Afternoon program highlights the life and work of artist Paul Gauguin (Sunday, March 4 and March 25). This workshop takes a close look at Gauguin’s painting Tahitian Woman and Boy and includes an art activity about color.
Free Matinee (6 yrs +): The Hammer’s Family Flicks film series presents Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Sunday, March 4 and March 25). This 1972 British adaption with Dudley Moore and Peter Sellars features an inventive production design and costumes, and original songs. Interesting to see how Tim Burton’s version compares.
MY PICKS FOR ADULTS: Dinner Date: A Night in Argentina dinner show at the Museum of Latin American Art is my pick for foodies (Saturday, March 10). A wine tasting of six Argentinian varietals and a DJ tango mix kick off the evening. Then it’s time for an authentic Argentinian dinner with an aerial tango performance for entertainment. Now that’s what I call a night out.
Film Festival: LACMA Muse presents its 11th Annual Young Directors Night on Saturday, March 10. This special evening celebrates Los Angeles’ emerging film talent with a screening of seven short films. Afterwards, there will be a panel discussion, judging competition, and reception. And the audience votes for their favorite films too.
The Clock: Back by popular demand, LACMA hosts another free 24-hour screening of Christian Marclay’s The Clock – an award-winning video collage of memorable film and television clips depicting the passage of time over the course of one (24-hour) day. Saturday, March 24 at 12 pm – Sunday, March 25 at 12 pm.
Tea Time: Visiting the Getty Villa Museum is always a treat for the senses. And their afternoon tea is no exception (Saturdays, 2-4 pm). Enjoy Tea by the Sea’s Mediterranean-inspired menu of sandwiches, pastries, fruits, cheeses, and fine teas. Then take a tour of the Villa’s gorgeous gardens and learn about the ancient Roman edible delights they contain.
Adult Courses: Want to learn more about mid-century design? Then take LACMA’s California Design exhibition gallery courseexploring the work of Ray and Charles Eames and other period (1930-1965) designers (Saturday, March 17 at 9:00 am). The course includes an introduction with refreshments, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibition before the museum opens to the public.
Tours: Learn more about L.A. history and folk art on the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s Native American Folk Art Walk through El Pueblo/Olvera St. on Saturday, March 31. The tour explores the artistic and cultural traditions of the region’s early Native American inhabitants focusing on the Gabrieleño Indians.
Good to Know: The Getty Center Central Garden is closed through May 2012 for improvements. LACMA’s Spring and Summer Art Camps are nearly sold-out, but there’s still space available for LACMA’s April Art Classes for adults and children.
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Sleepover at the Skirball, make Valentines at the Huntington, and celebrate Presidents Day at LACMA. There are so many fun things to do at L.A museums this month! Here are my top picks for February for kids and adults. Don’t forget to check the complete listing of museum family activities at the end of the post.
My Picks for Kids: Every Valentine’s Day I dream of making charming homemade Valentines with my kids. Inevitably, reality sets in, time runs out, and we end up buying last minute store bought cards. This year we have a chance to at least make a few homemade cards at the Huntington’s Be My Victorian Valentine (2/11). In this workshop, children learn fun facts about Valentine’s Day and how to make old-fashioned Valentines. Other Valentine’s Day themed museum activities include Silk RoadStories about Loveat the Pacific Asia Museum (2/4), a Love Bug Rock Art activity at the Kidspace (2/12), andBirds of Loveat the Norton Simon (2/18) — a family workshop inspired by the painting Happy Lovers (photo on right).
Presidents Day is Monday, February 20. If you have the day off, why not take the kids to LACMA’s Free Holiday Monday Presidents Dayevent (2/20). Festivities include bilingual tours, hands-on activities, and a live performances by Rhythm Child. While you’re there, check-out Chris Burden’s new sculptureMetropolis II . With over a thousand moving miniature cars and a dozen moving trains, it’s a smash hit with kids and adults. Or celebrate Presidents Day (2/20) at the Autry and learn how American Presidents have contributed to the history of the West. Don’t forget that the Huntington is open on Monday too — the Huntington’s Children’s Garden is always a favorite destination for our family.
Kids Workshops: Our whole family is looking forward to The Art Bug(2/25) workshop at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. This events brings together Cirque du Soleil‘s OVO performers and artist Karen Nakashima for a workshop about the fascinating life of insects. Other family workshops this month are the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s CraftLab Over and Under, Let’s Weave (2/11), the Hammer’s Time Travel – Blast Off! (2/12), and the Fowler’s Where in the World is?(2/26).
Is your child fascinated by all things mechanical? Then he or she will enjoy the Deconstructing Appliances workshop at reDiscover on February 26 from 1-4 pm. Children get to take apart small appliances like VCR’s to discover how they work. Not a museum, but definitely a creative haven, reDiscover reuses recycled materials to create fun and educational experiences for children. This event is also an open house to meet camp instructors for reDiscover’s summer program Tinkering School.
Skirball Sleepover: That’s right, you can actually sleep overnight at the Skirball in the ever popular Noah’s Ark (2/18-2/19). They’ll be lots of fun activities, a tasty dinner, and a continental breakfast. Plus, everyone will receive a pair of Toms shoes to decorate and bring home. Toms will also give a pair of shoes to a child in need for each sleepover attendee who participates.
Black History Month: The California African American Museum (CAAM) celebrates Black History Month on Sunday, February 5.Education: Living our Legacy of Achievementis an all day event highlighting the importance of education in our history and for future generations. They’ll be artist-led activities, live performances by local school children and professional jazz musicians, lots more and it’s free.
MOCA Teen Night: It’s time for MOCA’a Annual Teen Night take over of the museum. Inspired by the current exhibition Under the Big Black Sun, MOCA invites high school students to an evening program of art, music and more (2/11). Participants receive a complimentary museum membership!
Family Festivals: There are two big festivals this month celebrating rich cultural traditions. There’s a Chinese New Year festival at the Huntington the first weekend in February (2/4-2/5). My children loved the dragon dancers and martial arts demonstrations at the last one. Families can also discover African Heritage in Latin America through art, dance and music at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). Complete with carnival mask and African instrument workshops, MOLAA’s Afro-Latino Festival (2/19) is an annual family event not to be missed.
Coming Up: LACMA’s Spring Art Camp (April 2-6) for kids ages 6-9 and 10-13. Register now if you’re interested because sessions sell-out quickly.
My Picks for Adults: Opening Receptions: At the Fowler Museum this month, there’s an evening reception (2/25) for Order and Disorder: Alighiero Boetti by Afghan Women. This exhibition takes an in-depth look at Italian artist Alighiero Boetti’s collaboration with Afghan women to create incredible monumental embroidered pieces. They’ll be Becks beer and Italian wines to enjoy, and a live DJ spinning tunes from around the world. RSVP by February 16.
Adult Classes: Feel a creative urge to move beyond family photos? Then how about trying LACMA’s Digital Photography class led by photographer-artist Loretta Ayeroff. Course consists of five Sunday afternoon classes beginning February 26.
Valentine’s Day/Nite Out: We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day at LACMA this year. Why, you ask? Well, my husband and I still haven’t gotten a chance to dine at the Museum’s Ray’s restaurant; and we’re anxious to see the new Ellsworth Kelly exhibition. So we’re going to do both on a Friday when the galleries are open until 9 pm.
You also might want to try this month’s Getty Center Art Circles tour (2/25) for an artful night out. These engaging evening gallery tours focus on one object of art and include open-ended discussions led by a Getty educator. Course fee includes a sandwich voucher. Add a nice glass of wine to that at the museum cafe, and the Getty Center’s gorgeous city views, and you’re set.
Upcoming: Parents of teens, or almost teens, make your reservations for the Skirball’s upcoming parenting seminar Teenagers: Wonder Years or Worry Years? (3/4). A remarkable group of experts will be speaking and leading workshops at the seminar, and there’ll be a panel of teens to add their unique perspectives on adolescence.
Leave a comment and let me know about your museum outings this month. And if you like this calendar, be sure to subscribe (click above) and share it with your friends. Also, follow me on Twitter for event updates and tweets and about my museum adventures.
See you in the galleries!
Ro
FEBRUARY KIDS MUSEUM ACTIVITY LISTINGS:
Autry Museum
FAMILY FESTIVAL: Presidents Day Event
Monday, February, 20: 10 am -4 pm
Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) CraftLab WORKSHOP: Over and Under, Let’s Weave
Saturday, February 11: Drop-in between 1:30-3:30. All Ages.
Getty Center Museum FAMILY DRAWING:Artful Improvisation Saturday, February 11: 3:30 pm. Ages 7+
FAMILY DRAWING: Shapes and Grapes
Saturday, February 18: 3:30 pm. Ages 7+
GALLERY TOUR ACTIVITY: Family Art Stops Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 and 2:30 pm. Ages 5+
Museum of Latin American Art (Molaa)
FREE FAMILY DAY: Afro-Latino Festival
Sunday, February 19: 12-4 pm
Norton Simon Museum
STORYTELLING: Francisco De Goya (hear stories and make your own crown)
Sunday, February, 5 and February, 26: 2-3 pm. Ages 4-8
FAMILY ART NIGHT: Temple Guardians
Friday, February 10: 6:30-7:30 pm. Ages 4-10
FAMILY DAY: Birds of Love
Saturday, February 18: 1-3 pm. Ages 4-8
Pacific Asia Museum
STORYTELLING: Silk Road, Stories about Love
Saturday, February 4: 10:30 am. Fee $10 per family
Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA)
Family Day Workshop: The Art Bug
Saturday, February 25, 1-3 pm. Admission $10, members free.
Skirball Cultural Center
FAMILY SLEEPOVER: Noah’s Ark Family Sleepover
February 18, 6:00 pm thru Sunday, February 19, 9:00 am. Ages 6+. Tickets available online.
FAMILY ART ACTIVITY: Drop-in Family Art Studio
Saturday, February 25 and Sunday February, 26: drop-in, last entry at 4:30 pm. All ages.
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY: Dig It! Simulated archaeological dig. Saturday-Sunday. All ages.
Night Out: Catch world music sensation Sayon Bamba’s U.S. premiere at the Skirball Friday, May 4, 8pm. Arrive early and see the exhibition Women Hold Up Half the Sky (see previous post) before it closes May 20. Tickets available online.
Preschool Adventures: The Huntington’s Tickets to Travel preschool program takes little ones on an adventure into the world of railroads. Classes include garden and gallery visits, art projects, and stories (Wednesdays, May 9, 16, 23, 30). Registration required.
Join the fun at SMMoA’s Cause for Creativity: The Knotwork Workshop, a unique public art-making project which will create a giant, six-sided rope hammock in the middle of Bergamot Station’s People’s Park. In the process, kids will learn the art of hammock making and go home with instructions on how to build one of their own at home (Saturday, May 5. Ages 10 yrs +).
The Painting Factory: Abstraction After Warhol at MOCA Grand Avenue explores the recent transformation of abstract painting in contemporary art (now open).
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