The Lunar New Year begins February 10, 2024, and starts the Spring Festival season that ends fifteen days later on the evening of the Lantern Festival. The Chinese zodiac rotates through a 12-year cycle of animals and the traditional five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. The dragon ushers in the fifth year of the 12-year cycle, following the Year of the Rabbit.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with the Smithsonian via virtual and in-person events. Learn more about Lunar New Year celebrations with the National Museum of Asian Art, explore the Smithsonian American Art Museum's online Lunar New Year Family Zone, and visit the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center for a list of the Smithsonian’s Lunar New Year programming.
Here you can explore dragon-related content from across the Smithsonian from a variety of cultures.
