Visitors have also lined up to try making mooncakes with traditional wooden molds carved with auspicious patterns, learning about the folk traditions and symbolism of the festival through the hands-on activity.
A themed "Mid-Autumn Post Office" provided specially designed postcards. Visitors could write messages to family and friends, seal and stamp their cards and place them in a dedicated mailbox, re-creating the traditional ritual of sending handwritten festival greetings.
Other activities included osmanthus appreciation and tea tasting, lantern riddles based on the moon, Mid-Autumn legends, traditional customs and poetry, as well as workshops for making tu'er ye lanterns.
The museum also served as a Beijing venue for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Ancient Architecture Music Festival from Sept 25 to 27, with performances and a cultural market. Performances covered traditional Chinese instrumental music, orchestral music, choral singing, clarinet, percussion and dance. Pop-up instrumental performances will also take place around the historic courtyards.
