Connecting heritage at the art installation space "Autumn Colors"

The program "Mid-Autumn Festival 2025: Fun with Children" with the theme "Childhood Memories" not only recreates the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival space but also emphasizes the efforts to preserve, create and develop folk toys, especially the connection between generations of artisans and modern technology.

The public has the opportunity to meet folk artists who have been associated with the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology for nearly three decades, recreating the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival space through familiar toys such as: lanterns, star lanterns, paper doctors, to he, papier-mâché masks, clay figurines...

Children not only get to watch but also have the opportunity to learn how to make toys under the direct guidance of folk artisans.

In addition, the program also offers many experiential activities: folk games of jumping rope, stilt walking, hopscotch, tug of war...; STEM activities to explore science through lanterns, and activities in the Discovery Room for children such as telling stories about the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival, trying out hand puppetry, painting Mid-Autumn Festival-themed pictures, exploring Mid-Autumn Festival toys...

This is an opportunity for children to both play and learn, combining the joy of discovery with folk cultural values and scientific knowledge.

According to Dr. An Thu Tra, Head of the Department of Communication and Education of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the special highlight of the program is the launch of the art installation space "Autumn Colors".

This is an activity to honor folk artists who have been associated with the Museum for nearly three decades.

Here, the public has the opportunity to admire traditional toys of the elderly artisans; restored toys and creations of some young people with a passion for handicrafts.

In this space, visitors have the opportunity to explore stories of the preservation, creation and development of folk toys by the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and artisans.

According to Dr. An Thu Tra, this space tells the stories of 10 artisans, sharing their difficulties and concerns in preserving their profession.

The sad reality is that today's elderly artisans are almost unable to pass on their craft to their children and grandchildren because handicrafts do not provide a stable income.

That's why artisans are willing to pass on their skills to outsiders (not in the family) to keep the flame of the profession alive.

The exhibition space introduces the passing on of traditional crafts and cooperation between traditional artisans and creative young people.

Young people have used old folk knowledge, along with new materials and creativity, to restore and create beautiful new folk toys.

These creative products have been warmly received by society, even selling so well that young people cannot keep up with them.

“Through the program, the Museum hopes to arouse the love and passion of the young generation for handicrafts, encourage them to use more handicraft products in their lives, thereby creating stable output for artisans and promoting the development of folk toys,” said Dr. An Thu Tra.

Besides traditional activities such as introducing toys: lanterns, star lanterns, papier-mâché masks, figurines; Mid-Autumn cuisine..., the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival program also attracted attention with the first appearance of "AI Paper Doctor".

This is a step forward in the Museum's efforts to apply technology to exploit and explore heritage.

"The AI Paper Doctor" is the result of a 3-month research project between the Museum, folk artist Nguyen Thi Tuyen and a group of volunteers (including students and working people).

“Doctor Paper AI” is specially designed to move, interact and participate in Q&A activities with children, helping to introduce the meaning of Mid-Autumn Festival and information about the Museum.

The goal of bringing technology into heritage is to exploit and explore heritage through diverse activities and thereby arouse love for heritage for the young generation, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha groups.

Dr. An Thu Tra said that the program "Mid-Autumn Festival 2025: Fun with Children" promises to be a special occasion for children to both play and learn, connecting the joy of discovery with folk cultural values and scientific knowledge, while witnessing a journey of conservation full of passion and creativity of generations of artisans at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

Over the years, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has accompanied many craftspeople to gradually restore and preserve the craft of making toys and introduce them at the Museum every Mid-Autumn Festival.

Artisans not only research to restore forgotten traditional toy models, but also create new toys to meet the needs of today's children.

It is also a process of passing on the craft to the younger generation. This journey has awakened the love for simple toys that contain high educational value, contributing to the preservation, creation, and promotion of cultural heritage values to the public at home and abroad.

During the past three decades of development, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has persistently accompanied folk artisans, the community and young volunteers to preserve and promote the value of cultural heritages.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/ket-noi-di-san-tai-khong-gian-sap-dat-nghe-thuat-sac-thu-170776.html