It is only when I visit other parts of the country, that I deeply appreciate the diversity that is Southern California. Even in Orange County, my kids have friends with roots that span the globe. We celebrate diversity, and I often seek out opportunities for my kids to learn more about varied cultures. Culture and art converge at Bowers Kidseum, the only cultural-based children’s center in Orange County. This summer, they introduced Voyage to Vietnam, a celebration of Vietnamese culture.

Bowers Kidseum

Kidseum strives to ignite imagination through exploration through a variety of engaging, hands-on experiences. Permanent exhibits include the Green Screen Time Machine which transports kids through time to the distant past, the Glow Cave where kids create art that glows, and the archeology lab (inside an Egyptian tomb) where kids can delve into the past. Each season, the museum also brings in touring exhibits like Voyage to Vietnam, so kids can experience history, art, and culture. Programs at the museum include family festivals, museum tours, school outreach programs, cultural art trunks, storytelling, and more.

Voyage to Vietnam

Voyage to Vietnam is a traveling exhibit developed by the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. The exhibit is a celebration of the sights and sounds of Vietnam during the most important celebration of the year, Tet. Families who visit Kidseum will find themselves immersed in the traditions, customs, and values of the Vietnamese people.

• • Guests arrive through the New Year gateway and are then transported to the Tet Festival, which occurs during present-day Vietnam.
  • Kids can “shop” at the Marketplace for traditional flowers and “play” food items in anticipation of the festival.
  • Gather your family in the “home” and strike a pose dressed in customary Ao Dai.
  • Try on a Lion Dance Mask and be part of the parade, games, and music that are part of this festival.
  • In the Courtyard, it is now midnight and “fireworks” light up the sky, ushering in the New Year.

Voyage to Vietnam runs through August 19, 2018.

Tickets: $10 for everyone over age 2, $2 for Bowers Museum members and Santa Ana Residents on Sundays.

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm

Bowers Kidseum is located at 1802 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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