Celebrate Chinese New Year at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam!

Have your portrait taken by photographer Tyler Chan

Chinese New Year is celebrated with family and friends. Capture this celebration as a unique memory! Photographer Tyler Chan will take a festive group portrait of you, your friends and your family in a beautifully decorated setting designed by artist Lee Teng Poh.

About Tyler Chan

Tyler Chan grew up in Chinatown, New York, as a Chinese-American with strong ties to his cultural traditions.
At age fifteen, he discovered his passion for photography. What began as documenting teenage life in American suburbs evolved into a way to preserve cultural heritage. His work captures the changing spirit of communities, aiming to break stereotypes, empower communities, and celebrate cultural pride.

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 12:00–13:30 and 14:30–16:00
• Location: Green Room | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

Design your own hóngbāo—a traditional red envelope symbolizing luck, prosperity, and new beginnings—under the guidance of Sioe Jeng Tsao (SEEYOUSIOE).

What will we do?

Each workshop begins with a short introduction in which Sioe Jeng explains the origins and meaning of the hóngbāo. She discusses commonly used Chinese characters, colours, and symbolism that play an important role during Lunar New Year.

After that, participants get to work designing and drawing their own envelope, with attention to personal meaning and creative expression. The workshop is accessible and suitable for beginners, children, and experienced artists alike.

Practical Information

• When? Saturday 21 February
• Workshop duration: 45 minutes
• Times:
  • 11:30–12:15
  • 13:30–14:15
  • 15:30–16:15
• Location: Salon (1st floor)
• Tickets: Pick up at the front desk
• Price: Free with museum admission
• Guided activity

Decorate your home with symbols of good fortune

The oldest piece of paper ever found is over 2,000 years old and discovered in a Chinese tomb. Papercutting is nearly as old as paper itself. Patterns are cut from a single sheet of paper. Most papercuts are red, the colour of luck and joy.

In the past, people used papercuts with symbolic motifs to decorate their homes, especially since many were unable to read. Later, papercuts became mainly good-luck symbols. Brighten your home this festive season with your own Chinese papercutting — they are believed to bring good fortune!

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 12:00–16:00
• Location: Expo Table “Art She Crafted” | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

Artists Lili Zhou and Sofie Xie guide you through various creative activities that teach you more about Chinese culture.

Calligraphy Workshop with Sofie Xie

In China, the colour red represents luck. People create festive decorations with good-luck symbols. Many homes hang red paper scrolls on their doors with calligraphed New Year’s wishes.
Writing calligraphy is not only beautiful to watch — it is believed to send positive energy and blessings into the new year.
Learn to calligraph the characters for “luck” and “horse.”

Block Printing with Traditional Chinese Stamps

Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival. Many wishes relate to growth, flourishing, new opportunities and fresh beginnings — just like spring.
In the Atelier, you can block print with Chinese good-luck symbols. Use special Chinese stamps to print, for example, a horse on traditional rice paper.

Make Your Own Chinese Lucky Knots with Lili Zhou

Discover the art of traditional Chinese knotting. These decorative knots symbolize prosperity, good fortune, and harmony. They are used in jewellery, interior decorations and given as meaningful gifts.
During the workshop, you learn step-by-step how to create your own knot, the meanings behind different knot styles, and how colours and techniques contribute to symbolism.
You’ll go home with your own lucky knot — and the skills to make more!

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 11:00–16:00
• Location: Atelier | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

Creative Activity: “Full Gallop”

Make a lantern in which a horse appears to gallop!
In the Chinese zodiac, the horse is adventurous, curious, brave, and persistent.
First you decorate your lantern with gold, then bring the horse to life through movement.
Celebrate the Year of the Horse — a year full of adventure, perseverance and new opportunities, galloping into a bright new beginning.

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 11:00–16:30
• Location: Little Square in Superstraat | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

Storytelling Session: The Monster Nian

Long ago, China was terrorized every year by a monster: Nian.
It appeared at the end of the lunar year and especially sought out children. People lived in fear — until one day, an old beggar arrived.
Could he stop Nian? And did he know how to keep the monster away forever?
Come listen to the legend of Nian and discover the origins of Chinese New Year.

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 12:45–13:00 & 14:45–15:00
• Location: “Home of Grandma Lydia” in Superstraat | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

Storytelling Session: The Great Race

Listen to the story of The Great Race, the legend that explains how the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac earned their places.
In this exciting race, the animals row, run and jump across a wide river, each using their unique talents — from the clever rat riding on the ox’s back to the brave horse nearly winning but being overtaken by the swift snake.

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Time: 13:45–14:00 & 15:45–16:00
• Location: “Home of Grandma Lydia” in Superstraat | Open walk-in | Free | Guided activity

In this workshop, we bake almond cookies — a treat often enjoyed in China during the New Year celerations. While kneading the dough, you’ll learn that almonds symbolize luck, and the cookie’s golden colour represents a bright new year. By baking together, children not only explore new tastes and smells but also learn the meaning behind festive traditions.

• When: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February
• Location: Winston’s Celebration Kitchen | Max. 20 participants | Free with admission
• Times: 13:00–13:30 | 14:00–14:30 | 15:00–15:30 | 16:00–16:30