A Single day @ Skirball Cultural Center

In one afternoon, my girls walked through interactive galleries, were part of magic tricks, invented and built creatures with recyclable materials, played in the 8,000 square foot Noah’s Ark and cooled off in a giant rainbow-making water mister. All in all a fun four hours at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Amidst all this fun, we attended the kick off weekend of the Skirball’s Family Performances Series in the shaded outdoor amphitheater. It was Kayamanan Ng Lahi Group who entertained and educated us for an hour with folk traditions of the Phillipines. In addition to dances, a dozen different outfit changes and native instruments, we learned the lovely greeting “Mabuhay” which means, May you Live a Long Life. We now know that the Philippines consist of over 7,000 islands. The charismatic troupe founder, Joel Jacinto even shared with us elements of the emotionally complex fusion of the native Filippino culture under 300 years of Spanish & Catholic rule/influence. All of this and more was conveyed with sensitivity and positive loving energy that my children actively received, affording them a feeling a cultural pride themselves for the Philippine culture. And that is the goal! Next week we are excited to ride our bikes to our nearby Filipino restaurant to try a few things and say “Mabuhay”.

Other dates on our calendar are July 23rd for the Indian Dance troupe company Arpana; July 30th Wildlife on Wheels; August 6th is the kid-based Circus Troupe Kinetic Theory; Aug 21 Chinese acrobat Jason Jiang; and West African music and dance by Balle Fette bu Senegal. Every family performance on Saturdays and Sundays repeats at noon and 2:00 pm to ensure everyone gets enjoy the show. At prior summers shows at the Skirball, we have pet exotic animals, tried our acrobatic and circus skills and played Taiko drums. Every family performance occurs at both Noon and 2:00 pm to ensure everyone gets to see it.

Through September 4th, in conjunction with the Houdini exhibit, they have roaming Magicians on Sundays sharing their talents and intriguing kids of all ages. My four year old had no idea she had magical powers until last weekend. Check out the action by clicking the first photo of this blog.

If you have yet to take your kids to the Noah’s Ark permanent exhibit, they’ve missed out on a lot of fun and you’ve missed out on inspiring recycled art as every animal of two has been created from all found objects: Zebras from roof vents, crocodiles from violin cases, roosters from boots, polar bears from bathtubs. It is 8,000 square feet of imaginary play with machines that replicate lightening, floods, and the animals entering the giant ark.

And if this isn’t enough, for almost two months every summer the Skirball brings musical artists from around the globe to perform in their FREE Sunset Concerts that start at 8:00pm every Thursday night through Aug 25th. Sunset concerts are free but parking is $10. Our family will be leaving MudPies & Butterflies parkday just after the potluck dinner in order to get a spot at the opening concert with Maria De Barros from Cape Verde (African Coast) on July 21st, 2011.

Membership Bargain!

We love this museum so much that we get their annual family membership $175. Given that they are a participant in the Assoc. of Children’s Museums – that means you also get 1/2 admission to the Zimmer Museum on Wilshire and Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. Due to this reciprocal program we are members to 165 museums nationwide, which has saved us money in San Diego, San Luis Obispo and other museums on trips outside of California too.

Incidentally, the Skirball is FREE to the public every Thursday from Noon until 9:00pm.

Mudpies & Butterflies

Village Parkdays 12:00 pm – 4pm (or sundown)

A Single day @ Skirball Cultural Center

Membership Bargain!

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