Travel to a far-away land with a magical and mischievous monkey as your guide in the new traveling exhibit at the Long Island Children’s Museum. “The Monkey King: A Story from China” introduces families to the ancient Chinese tale, Journey to the West. It’s a story of a mischievous monkey who takes visitors on a journey that finds him creating havoc in the Heavenly Palace, meeting Buddha, and overcoming numerous challenges, all the while teaching about China’s rich culture. The magical Monkey King’s adventures will delight and intrigue families.
Passed down through the centuries, Chinese children have leaned this story from their grandparents, read it in books and watched Monkey’s antics on television and film. His popularity has made him the star of opera stages and video games.
In this exhibit, visitors will travel along with Monkey and his friends Xuanzang, Pigsy and Sandy on their journey to bring back sacred items to China. Along the way the four friends encounter many obstacles and learn some valuable lessons in the process. A dozen imagination-powered stations are set up throughout the exhibit to engage kids in this rich story. During their visits, children can try on Monkey’s costumes, soar on a cloud with Monkey, put on a puppet show or transform into an animal of their choice to battle the Bull Demon.
“This exhibit will appeal to all ages including adult,” said LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc. “Children will find the main characters exciting and magical and adults will enjoy the important life lessons and values the characters represent. It offers a fun way to introduce children to a new culture and share a story that has endured for generations.”
The recently opened exhibit runs through January 3, 2010. To enhance the exhibit, special Mon-