Aussie families experience Chinese culture in National Museum of Australia

Heidi Pritchard, manager of lifelong learning at the museum, said that the festival promotes understanding and harmony. "And it is good fun," she said. "Everybody is having fun. They are watching the dance. They can have tea. Most importantly, they speak to people. They get really interactive."

"We saw all the children watching the dragon and watching the Kong Fu. Maybe some of the children will take up Kong Fu, or maybe they will take up Chinese language. The whole idea is about promoting cultural understanding," she said.

The festival was unveiled with Chinese traditional dragon and waist drum dances. Then visitors could enjoy Tibetan dance, sword dance and Chinese ballet, as well as Beijing Opera, Tai-Chi demonstration, folk songs and performance of traditional music instrument Hulusi.

Children stood in a long queue waiting for hands-on craft activities to make paper dragons and lions, or try paper cutting, kite making, Chinese chess.

When they were tired, they could take a sip of tea at the tea ceremony, or sit down to learn making dumpling.

The performers and demonstrators were mostly from local Chinese communities.