Virtual Family Day: Building Bridges
Every second Sunday of the month, Mia hosts a free monthly event for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring virtual hands-on art activities, music, dance performances, artist demonstrations, and more — all inspired by Mia’s incredible collection.
Family Day Major Sponsor: 
Virtual Family Day: Building Bridges
Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month honoring the many bridges built by AAPI immigrants across cultures, languages, and peoples. Learn about Iranian-American artist Siah Armajani, whose powerful bridges and sculptures are Twin Cities treasures, and be inspired to build your own bridge. Connect the past, present, and future in a radical drawing activity led by local illustrator Tori Hong. Reflect on the vastness of the universe, and your part in it, with a “Part of the Universe” collage activity inspired by Yayoi Kusama. And continue to immerse yourself in poetry, dance, and visual art created by local AAPI artists in Mia’s Arts of Asia online portal.
Free Family Day Artist Totes
May Family Day Artist Totes, available at Mia while supplies last.
During May’s Family Day weekend (May 8–9, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.), you can pick up a free Family Day Artist Tote at Mia’s Third Avenue entrance. You’ll find materials like pipe cleaners, foam sheets, and markers to make a bridge inspired by Siah Armajani and a “Part of the Universe” collage inspired by Yayoi Kusama. Also, find an interactive guide to draw the future you want to see by local illustrator Tori Hong (who has put a cute surprise in each tote!). Materials in the kit complement the Virtual Family Day program’s activities but are not essential to enjoying the activities. Totes are available while supplies last. Click here to see the contents of this month’s totes.
Closer Look: Asian and Asian American Art
Asian American artists featured in Mia’s collection think big and small, private and public. Explore some of them in this quiz! Click the image above or click here to take the quiz.
Draw Your Future!
“What do you want the future to look like? Who do you hope to be in that future?
Learn more about Tori Hong’s illustration of the “Abolitionist Elder” in this video.
Click here or the image below to download the guide to drawing your own vision of the future!
Tori is a local illustrator based in Minneapolis with Hmong and Korean roots.
Build a Bridge inspired by Siah Armajani
Learn more about the Iranian-American artist Siah Armajani whose sculptures can be found in parks and museums right here in Minnesota and around the world! Be inspired to make your own bridge using recycled materials. Click here for instructions.
Create a “Part of the Universe” collage inspired by Yayoi Kusama
Learn more about the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and make a collage inspired by one of her paintings at Mia! Click here for instructions.
Arts of Global Asia
Deepen your understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures, histories and people exploring the Arts of Global Asia website, an online resource dedicated to humanize the teaching of Asian arts and cultures co-developed by artists and educators at Mia.
This video of “Safar: Journeys of Our Lives” by Ananya Dance Theatre is one of many featured in the Arts of Global Asia. Ananya Dance Theatre is a company of cultural activists and BIPOC women-and-femme artists who believe in the transformative power of dance.