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Programming, Which Includes Live Performances, Art Workshops and 3D Installations, is Part of a Larger CMOM Initiative to Help Grow Children’s Knowledge and Understanding of Cultures Worldwide.

New York, NY – November 17, 2014 – To celebrate the rich diversity of the world’s cultures, the Children’s Museum of Museum (CMOM) announced today that it will be offering a series of special cultural holiday events and activities in December. Through live performances, art workshops and 3D Installations at CMOM (212 West 83rd Street), visitors will explore the diverse cultural traditions and the various ways people around the world celebrate the holidays.

The special programming, which includes celebrations of the history, customs and traditions associated with Hanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, is part of CMOM’s Cultural Exhibition and Programmatic Series, a larger museum initiative to nurture a new generation of creative and global citizens through interactive and immersive exhibits, hands-on art workshops, live performances and other programming. Hello from Japan!, the newest exhibition in this series exploring world cultures, opens January 2015 following Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Ancient Greece and Monkey King: A Story from China. And launched last month, is CMOM’s 3-D Mosque Architecture Experience, a traveling outreach program introducing children to the distinct architectural styles of mosques around the world to reveal the diversity of cultural expressions within Muslim communities.

The cultural winter holiday festivities at CMOM kick off with a Christmas tree installation and Christmas tree ornament workshops (Dec. 3-26) during which visitors and CMOM staff alike – both reflecting the diversity of cultures, religions and traditions – will design one-of-a-kind ornaments inspired by the many ways Christmas is celebrated around the globe.

Additional highlights include dreidel garland (Dec. 16-19) and menorah banner-making (Dec. 20-21) workshops to celebrate the Festival of Lights, a 3D gingerbread workshop (Dec. 27-28) and Kwanzaa placemat-making (Dec. 26-28) and heart-shaped sankofa necklace-making (Dec. 26-28) workshops.

The special programming also includes two live performances that are part of CMOM’s ongoing All Jazzed Up Performance Series: Kwanzaa – Quator Creole Duo (Dec. 26), and HOT PSTROMI (Dec. 28).

The complete schedule and details for CMOM’s special cultural holiday programming is below:

Chanukah
Chanukah: Dreidel Garland
Design your own dreidel garland to decorate for the Chanukah season.
Tuesday, Dec. 16 – Friday, Dec. 19 |10 & 1pm | 4 & younger | Drop-In

Chanukah Storyteller: Richard Codor
Meet Richard Codor, author of Too Many Latkes, a hilarious tale of a magic potato, which is said to reveal the true meaning of Hanukkah.
Sunday, Dec. 21| 2 & 3:30pm| 5 & Older | Sign up

Chanukah: Menorah Banner
Make your own menorah banner to celebrate the festival of lights!
Saturday, Dec. 20 – Sunday, Dec. 21 |12-2pm | All Ages | Drop-In

Christmas
CMOM’s Christmas Tree Ornaments
Design ornaments inspired by Christmas traditions from around the world! Display your finished ornament on the evolving CMOM Christmas tree located in our main entrance
Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 3-26 | All Ages
Saturday, Dec. 20 – Sunday, Dec. 21 | All Ages

Gingerbread Houses Installation
Contribute to an evolving 3D gingerbread house installation in this interior design workshop.
Saturday, Dec. 27 – Sunday, Dec. 28 | All Ages

Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa Placemat Printmaking
During Kwanzaa, families cook delicious meals and decorate their table with beautiful textiles.  Join in the celebration and design your own placemat using symbols that represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa!
Friday, Dec. 26 – Sunday, Dec. 28 |10 & 1pm| 4 & younger | Drop-In

Kwanzaa: Sankofa-Inspired Jewelry Design
Craft a heart shaped sankofa necklace, a symbol that represents a need to remember the past in order to build a successful future.

Friday, Dec. 26 – Sunday, Dec. 28 |12-2pm | All Ages | Drop-In

All Jazzed Up Performance Series
Quatuor Creole
Celebrate Kwanzaa with flautist Sylvain Leroux’s Quatuore Creole, a delightful combination of Guinean sounds, French influences and jazz tradition.
Friday, Dec. 26 | 3 & 4 pm | All Ages | Ticketed

Klezmer – HOT PSTROMI
Hot Pstromi creates a fusion of klezmer, new Jewish music, Gypsy, khasidic, world beat and Balkan music!
Sunday, Dec. 28 | 3 & 4 pm | All Ages | Ticketed

For all December programming, visit www.cmom.org

About Children’s Museum of Manhattan
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is the vibrant home to 350,000 visitors a year from all segments of the NYC community and tourists from around the world. The museum’s educational mission in early childhood education, creativity, health and culture thrives within our home on 83rd Street and in dozens of communities across the city as well as through national initiatives with leading authorities and government agencies. Child development is at the core of CMOM’s values and mission and our vision is to be the bridge that connects children and adults in the community, school and home in order to prepare our children for the global world in which they live. For details regarding all of CMOM’s programs and initiatives, please visit www.cmom.org