MUSEUM OF CHINESE AUSTRALIAN HISTORY 

Welcome to our 2025 Education Newsletter for Term 1  

 

The Chinese Museum plays an important role in preserving the heritage of Australians with Chinese ancestry for future generations and to acknowledge the contribution they have made to the evolution of Australian society over the past 200 years to the current day. 

 

We preserve and present Chinese culture and Australian history to recognise and celebrate the identity of Chinese Australian people. 

 

Dear Education Community, 

 

Welcome to term one and a new school year full of exciting learning opportunities! 

 

At the start of the February, Chinatown came alive with the Lunar New Year Festival, where we witnessed the awakening of the Museum’s Millennium Dragon who led a majestic procession throughout the streets marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. It was a such a fun day with the community coming together to celebrate.

 

Welcome to the Year of the Wood Snake!

The Snake occupies the sixth position in the Chinese zodiac, and it is said that people born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be intuitive, strategic, and intelligent. The Snake is also linked to metamorphosis, wisdom, and intuition. The 2025 element is wood which symbolises personal growth, self-discovery and creativity. It is predicted that this year will be an amazing time to focus on making plans, solving problems, and acting strategically in all areas of life.

 

To continue the celebration the Year of the Snake, we invite you to discover our new exhibition: The Legend of the White Snake. This beautiful exhibition, curated by Aimee Li, our Collections Manager, features 15 hand-coloured woodblock prints illustrating a beloved Chinese folk tale. The Legend of the White Snake is a story about love, immortality, and the battle between good and evil. On now for a very limited time until the 20th March at the Chinese Museum in our Level 2 contemporary gallery space.

 

Plan your education experience with one of our curriculum-aligned programs that encourage students from all backgrounds to engage with and explore history and culture. The Chinese Museum offer tours and hands-on workshops which showcase the heritage and culture of the Australian Chinese community. Join us either onsite or online to enrich and support your students in their study of History, Chinese language and/or Intercultural Understanding.

 

In this edition of Ed-News, we are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new Travelling Museum Program. Read more about our new incursion program below and discover how the Chinese Museum can come to your school.

 

We are now taking bookings for all terms throughout 2025! Head to our website to secure your booking. We recommend planning ahead to ensure that your preferred dates are available, so book in early to avoid disappointment.

 

We look forward to welcoming you to the Chinese Museum as an extension of your classroom this year. 

 

The Chinese Museum offers education programs all year round for students of all year levels and abilities.  

If you are considering an excursions, incursions, and live virtual education programs for 2025, we invite you to view our full range of education programs on our website. 

For your convenience, bookings for all of our education programs can be made online using our online booking form. Simply select your preferred program, click the BOOK NOW button to and then fill in the online booking form.

Dragon Puppet Workshop     

To celebrate the awakening of the Millennium Dragon for the Chinese New Year parade, students will learn about the importance, myths, and origins of the Chinese dragon. In this hands-on craft workshop, students will make their own dragon stick puppet to take home. 

In the tradition of Lunar New Year celebrations, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, people light lanterns to symbolise driving out darkness and bringing hope and light to the coming year. In our lantern making workshop, students will learn about the significance and history of lanterns in Chinese culture and then make their own lantern to take home. 

Can’t make it to the Museum? Explore our Travelling Museum Program where the Chinese Museum comes to your school.

Travelling Museum activities are perfect to integrate into a whole school cultural day or unit of work. They can support the intercultural understanding capability where students can learn about cultural practices and understand the concept of cultural diversity.

There’s a range of inspiring incursion programs such as a variety of hands-on craft workshops as well as interactive workshops for Lion Dancing, Kung Fu, and Chinese Inventions.

 

Our instructor will entertain and mesmerise students with a short performance demonstrating three different styles of fan dancing. Students will then participate in an interactive workshop, where they will learn simple Kung Fu and Tai Chi style movements and steps using short folding fans. Students will be guided to create a short dynamic dance and movement piece.

Students and teachers are welcome to purchase a souvenir as a memento of their visit. Our gift shop is located in the foyer of the Museum.

Our gift shop features a range of new products to celebrate the Year of the Snake as well as a range of cultural products such as Chinese tea, toys, bookmarks, fans, keyrings, and coins with prices starting at only $1. 

New VSOs have recently joined the Education Team in 2025. 

A very warm welcome to Bella, Helen and Moxuan.

Our team of Visitor Services Officers (VSOs) deliver guided tours and facilitate workshops for our Education Programs.  

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT 

Wishing you a prosperous 2025 and Year of the Snake. 

We warmly wish to thank teachers and schools for continuing to support our Museum and we look forward to welcoming you and your students either onsite or online at The Chinese Museum soon. 

We gratefully and warmly thank the Department of Education of Victoria for their continued support through the Strategic Partnerships Program.  

Best wishes,  

From the Education Team 

The Museum of Chinese Australian History gratefully acknowledges the Victorian State Government Department of Education as an Education Program partner.