ROM rings in the Lunar New Year during Family Day weekend

TORONTO, February 9, 2026 – Looking for an experience that’s both meaningful and memorable this Family Day weekend? There’s fun for the whole family at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) from Saturday, February 14 to Monday, February 16, 2026, as we celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year with three days of dynamic hands-on programming designed for visitors of all ages.

Spend some quality time together at ROM this Family Day weekend while creating shared memories rooted in culture and connection. Explore Lunar New Year traditions through observing live Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, adding a message of good fortune to the collaborative Wishing Tree display, and enjoying live performances throughout the Museum – which will be transformed with festive décor in red and gold, evoking luck, prosperity, and new beginnings. Look for the cherry blossom trees in Philosopher’s Gallery as well as lantern-inspired accents and red-envelope motifs to mark the celebrations!

There’s lots more to take in at ROM over the long weekend and throughout the month of February: linger in the Museum’s renowned permanent galleries, participate in interactive workshops and shared learning experiences – and don’t forget to visit our ongoing special exhibitions, including Sharks; Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025; and Crawford Lake: Layers in Time.
 

FAMILY DAY WEEKEND – PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

ACTIVITIES:

New Year Wish Tree
Philosopher’s Gallery – Level 1
Daily – Saturday, February 14 to Monday, February 16, 2026 | 10 am to 4 pm

Join us for a fortune-themed art activity and craft a red envelope inspired by Lunar New Year traditions from cultures around the world. Reflect on your hopes and wishes for the year ahead and add a message of good fortune to a growing ‘Wish Tree’ installation, creating a shared space for reflection, optimism, and celebration.

Chinese Calligraphy Pop-up
Philosopher’s Gallery – Level 1
Daily | 10 am to 4 pm

Stop by our artist pop-up table to watch a live demonstration of the art of Chinese calligraphy. Learn about the meaning behind terms associated with luck and prosperity and have a word – or even your name – translated into Chinese to take home as a keepsake.

Nature Misunderstood
Earth Rangers Studio – Level 2
Daily | 11 am to 4 pm 

Face your fears and join us in the Earth Rangers Studio as we try to dispel many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding some of nature’s most misunderstood animals – including sharks, the incredible species featured in our wildly popular feature exhibition!

ONGOING PROGRAMS:

Shark Sleuths!
Hands-on Biodiversity and WonderWorks – Level 2
Running until March 22, 2026 | 10 am to 5:30 pm

Dive into the fascinating world of sharks and discover why these iconic ocean predators deserve respect instead of fear. Visitors will explore what defines a shark, examine shark anatomy, and understand the critical role sharks play in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.

In the WonderWorks play space, explore a series of engaging, family-friendly activations centered around the fascinating world of sharks, skates, and rays – designed to spark curiosity and learning.

Sharks-related programming is generously presented by Desjardins Financial Group.

Hike the ROM
Trail Guides available at Admissions & Info Desk – Level 1

Get your daily steps in with Hike the ROM. These free and self-guided experiences take visitors on engaging and educational walks through the Museum’s permanent galleries. With three themes available – Climate Change, Eternal Life, and Walk on the Wild Side – each Hike offers a different route and encourages visitors to exercise both the body and the mind through encounters with objects and specimens from ROM collections.

PERFORMANCES:

Daily | Saturday, February 14 to Monday, February 16, 2026
All performances in Chen Court – Level 1

Yi Mo Tong Lunar New Year Lion Dance
2:30-2:45 pm & 3:30-3:45 pm

Interactive performances by traditional Lion Dancers will bring a festive Lunar New Year atmosphere to Chen Court throughout Family Day weekend at ROM!

Live Chinese Music with Amely Zhou
2:15-2:30 pm & 3:45-4 pm

Musician Amely Zhou specializes in erhu and guzheng performance and has contributed to more than 20 albums, helping to promote global appreciation for Chinese music.

Storytime with Catherine Little
2:45-3:15 pm & 4:00-4:30 pm

Educator and writer Catherine Little will read from her children’s book Twelve in a Race, which tells the story of the Chinese Zodiac and how each animal placed in the Lunar New Year’s race.

FEBRUARY EVENTS

Third Tuesday Nights Free
February 17, 2026 

On the third Tuesday night of every month, the Museum is free to all from 4 pm to 8:30 pm, thanks to the support of Presenting Sponsor TD Bank Group, through the TD Ready Commitment; and Founding Benefactor, the Temerty Foundation.

Visitors can book required tickets online up to two weeks in advance to enjoy access to ROM’s galleries for free, or upgrade to also include the surcharged special exhibitions.

ROM After Dark
February 13 & 14, 2026 (7:30 pm) | Tickets $40 / $36 Members

ROM After Dark (RAD) is sharing the love with not one, but two special nights this February! Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind 19+ nighttime celebration packed with live music, multiple dance floors, exciting performances, and mind-blowing visual art.

• Lunar Love – Feb. 13
  Blending the spirit of Lunar New Year with Valentine’s vibes, RAD: Lunar features DJs Bitter and Broke, Disco Delivery, and Paul Chin, alongside drag performer Minhi Wang and musician Colin Asuncion (a finalist on the Great Canadian Baking Show!).
• Valentines – Feb. 14
  Celebrating love, friendship, and community at this special Valentine’s Day RAD, with sets by DJs Paul Chin and DevoDLive and live performances by genre-blurring artist Borelson and the jazz stylings of the Donovan Locke Trio.

ROM Speaks – Global Sounds of Love
February 10, 2026 | C5 Lounge, 7 pm
Tickets: $40 / $36 Members

Join us for an intimate concert (in partnership with Jazz in Toronto) featuring soulful arrangements, captivating improvisation, and a contemporary jazz sensibility. The evening’s artists – including Robert Ball, Gabi Epstein, and Gloria Gift – bring classic standards and unexpected favourites to life, blending timeless romance with a fresh, modern sound. 

The program will be followed by a post-concert reception and viewing of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition.

CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS

Sharks
Runs until March 22, 2026
General admission + surcharge of $9/adult

Dive into the thrilling world of sharks through this family-friendly exhibition – organized by the American Museum of Natural History and presented by Desjardins Financial Group – that gives visitors a whole new perspective on these magnificent creatures of the sea. 

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025
Runs until March 29, 2026
General admission + surcharge of $9/adult

One hundred photographs from this year’s annual WPY competition organized by London’s Natural History Museum are currently on view at ROM, presenting a unique perspective into the natural world in vivid detail – from unusual species and hidden habitats to ecological impacts.

Crawford Lake: Layers in Time
Runs until September 13, 2026
Free with admission

Did you know that a small lake in Ontario is a marker of the Anthropocene? Visit Crawford Lake near Milton, Ont., through this original exhibition, which takes visitors into the history of how this unassuming body of water doubles as a record of human life on Earth.

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Image credit: Photo: Wanda Dobrowlanski, © ROM.