EVERETT – Hundreds of children got a jump-start Saturday on the Chinese New Year at the Imagine Children’s Museum.
A crowd of parents and children flocked to the museum’s entrance at Wall Street and Hoyt Avenue about 1 p.m. for the dedication of four bronze sculptures.
Dan Bates / The Herald
“Five, four, three, two, one, zero!” the crowd chanted in unison.
Then on the sidewalk, children unveiled the sculptures created by Everett sculptor Hai Ying Wu. The four pieces include a grandfather with a small girl and a boy with his dog, all involved in a game of hide-and-seek.
“It’s got to be a fun piece. It’s for the children’s museum,” said Wu, who immigrated from China in 1989.
A moment after the crowd applauded the sculptures, a deafening mix of drums and cymbals came from a nearby alley as a Seattle-based group of about 30 children demonstrated a Chinese lion dance, which brings good luck to the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated Wednesday.
The silver and gold lions headed into the museum through the crowd of onlookers.
“Lions bring blessings and happiness,” said Duc Vo, leader of the Lieu Quan Lion Dance Troupe of Co Lam Temple.
“One of the goals at the children’s museum is to try and raise cultural awareness. We thought this was a perfect opportunity,” said Nancy Johnson, the museum’s executive director.
Johnson estimated Saturday’s event drew at least 500 people to the museum.
Since it opened in October, the museum has flourished, attracting people not only from Washington but from surrounding states, Johnson said.
Dave Waibel of Mukilteo brought his grandchildren – 2-year-old Ilie and 5-year-old Westley – to the museum for the first time.
Westley and Ilie had never before seen a Chinese lion dance.
“It kind of scared me, the sound,” Westley said. “I think I liked the costumes.”
“It was exciting and not too long for kids. They will talk about it for a long time,” Waibel said.
Westley also enjoyed climbing walls and going into a mock airplane with other children.
“Terrific. Kids love it. This is the best deal in town,” Waibel said of the museum.
Josh Parke, 10, of Lake Stevens said he got a kick out of the ethnic dancing. “It was cool because they practiced a lot to get in tune with the music,” he said.
Josh visited the museum with his parents and three siblings. The museum has different kinds of activities for boys and girls, said Michelle Parke, Josh’s mother.
“I don’t think there is another place like this,” she said.
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