Pasadena Museums Host Free Lunar New Year Celebration

Southern California Children's Museum and USC Pacific Asia Museum partner for art, performances, and more.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Two neighboring museums in Pasadena's Playhouse Village are opening their doors for free today for a joint Lunar New Year celebration featuring art-making activities, live performances, and no-cost parking at both venues. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Southern California Children's Museum and until 5 p.m. at the USC Pacific Asia Museum.

Why it matters

The Lunar New Year celebration offers families a chance to experience the cultural traditions and artistic offerings of both museums in a single outing, highlighting Pasadena's vibrant arts and community scene.

The details

The event features art-making activities at both museums from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., along with a calligraphy workshop at the Pacific Asia Museum. The performance schedule at Pacific Asia Museum includes a lion dance, martial arts demonstration, traditional Chinese and Korean dance, a storytime, an opera performance, and taiko drumming. Food trucks will also be on site at the Pacific Asia Museum.

  • The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Southern California Children's Museum and until 5 p.m. at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on February 15, 2026.
  • Lunar New Year officially begins on February 17, 2026, ushering in the Year of the Horse.

The players

Southern California Children's Museum

A museum in Pasadena's Playhouse Village that is partnering with the USC Pacific Asia Museum for the Lunar New Year celebration.

USC Pacific Asia Museum

A museum in Pasadena's Playhouse Village that is partnering with the Southern California Children's Museum for the Lunar New Year celebration.

Dave Young Kim

A Los Angeles-based Korean American artist who conceived the Pacific Asia Museum's new exhibition, "Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry."

Shirley Wang

An opera soprano who is performing at the Pacific Asia Museum as part of the Lunar New Year celebration.

East West Bank

The sponsor providing free admission to the Pacific Asia Museum during Lunar New Year week.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Pacific Asia Museum's new exhibition, "Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry," will run through September 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The joint Lunar New Year celebration between the Southern California Children's Museum and USC Pacific Asia Museum provides families a unique opportunity to experience the cultural traditions and artistic offerings of both institutions in a single outing, highlighting Pasadena's vibrant arts community.