Folk And Traditional Arts

Taiko is a drumming practice originating from Japan that has become a global phenomenon over the last several decades. World-renowned taiko artist ManMan Mui teaches drumming patterns over 8-week sessions. Lessons include developing rhythm, body awareness, and technique as students make music together as a team. Team Taiko is open to all skill levels and abilities, from beginners to seasoned musicians.

 

$5 – $25 per class in person or online

The Norton Simon Museum houses a world-renowned collection of South and Southeast Asian art that includes examples of the rich sculptural and painting traditions that developed in this region over more than 2,000 years. To learn more, view the video podcast Learning to Look at Asian Art  https://www.nortonsimon.org/learn/watch-and-listen/videos-podcasts-and-lectures/video-learning-to-look-at-asian-art-at-the-norton-simon-museum-2/

 

Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, 12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturdays, 12:00 noon – 7:00 p.m.

Adults – $20, Seniors – $15, Members, Students and Children – Free

Coming together to partake in a meal is a practice shared by all cultures. Food defines us—we are what we eat. Dining with the Sultan is the first exhibition to present Islamic art in the context of its associated culinary traditions. It will include some 250 works of art related to sourcing, preparing, serving, and consuming food.

 

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Fridays 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Adults – $20, Seniors – $16, Members, Students, and Children – Free
Reserve a timed entry ticket online.
General admission is Free after 3:00 p.m. on weekdays

Curated by scholars of Chinese history and culture from the Shanghai Museum, this incredible collection portrays the evolution of Chinese art and culture. Journey back through 5000 years of Chinese history and follow the efflorescence of arts throughout one of the world’s oldest living civilizations.

 

Adults – $18, Seniors and Students – $15, Members and Children under 12 – Free

Experience exquisite masterpieces and dynamic objects from the vast and diverse Pacific Islands in this special exhibition. Spanning the geographic region collectively referred to as Oceania, this comprehensive exhibition highlights masterworks from the three cultural regions of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. The focus is on New Guinea, the land of the headhunter, and the rich artistic traditions infused into daily and ritual life.

Adults – $18, Seniors and Students – $15, Members and Children under 12 – Free

Featuring over 250 intricate works of silver, the exhibit features jewelry and textiles primarily made in China’s Guizhou Province, where the largest population of Miao people reside. Male silversmiths create a variety of ornaments through casting, smelting, repoussé (a reverse hammering technique), forging, engraving, knitting, coiling, cutting, and other methods. Concepts such as beauty, unity, fortune, and pride are visual abstractions and geometric motifs.  

 

Adults – $18, Seniors and Students – $15, Members and Children under 12 – Free

Experience a restored home and agricultural compound from 18th-century Japan that provides a glimpse into rural life 300 years ago. Built around 1700, this 3,000-square-foot residence was the center of village life in Marugame, Japan.

 

 

Check the website for ticket prices and advance reservations, which are required.

Amid the San Fernando Valley lies an oasis – a 6.5-acre garden featuring three gardens in one. First, the Japanese Garden has a dry Zen meditation garden containing Tortoise Island, a three-buddha arrangement of stones, and a wisteria arbor at the end of the Plover Path. Next along the path is an expansive Chisen or “wet-strolling” garden with waterfalls, lakes and streams, abundant greenery, and stone lanterns, which were hand-carved by artisans in Japan. At the end of this path is the Shoin Building, which has an authentic tatami-mat teahouse and an adjacent tea garden.

 

Reservation is required; tickets are available on the website.

Explore this tranquil Japanese-style garden that blends design elements from four classic garden styles. Cross an arched bridge and walk on shaded paths along a koi-filled stream to the teahouse.

 

General – $15, Seniors 65 and over and Students with ID – $11, Children (5 to 12 years) – $5, Descanso members and children under 5 – Free

Khalil Nelson is your host for a guided tour of Bob Baker Marionette (BBMT) Theater on the occasion of the Theater’s 60th Anniversary and as it prepares to preview scenes from its first original production in 40 Years!

Tours include backstage, our fabrication workshop, and music and visual archives! Khalil will share the world of BBMT through the lens of the creation of our new scenes, as part of the current show and in preparation for a full production in 2025, Choo Choo Revue! Don’t miss it!

Go Behind the Scenes at Bob Baker Marionette Theater with Guided Tours Every Saturday and Sunday in June at 12 Noon! Reservations are required.

For more information email: hello@bobbakermarionettetheater.com

Parking:

The Theater does not have its own parking. Street and public lot parking is available nearby. Please leave yourself plenty of time.