It was Conference Day in the Lower School, and for most students that meant a day to play, but for Third and Fourth Graders enrolled in Chinese Language study, it was a field trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to see the special exhibit of the Palace Museum of Beijing. Here is a description of the exhibit from the VMFA website:
"Drawn from the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing, Forbidden City will offer visitors a unique journey through a palace once forbidden to the general public, and provide a glimpse into this hidden world through rich and diverse objects from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Featured works include large portraits, costumes, furniture, court paintings, religious sculptures, and fine decorative arts such as bronzes, lacquer ware, and jade. This exhibition explores the significant roles of imperial rituals, court painting, imperial family life, and religion in the Forbidden City."
Photography was not permitted in the exhibit but I was able to take pictures of the model of the city which is being created by means of a 3D printer. Ultimately there will be 700 objects representing the structures of this architectural complex.
Our students also spent time in a hands-on exhibit designed especially for families. In addition they were privileged to hear a member of the staff (who happened to be the aunt of one of our Third Graders) describe the process of preparing this remarkable exhibit to travel from China to Richmond.
This was my second field trip of the week. It was totally different from the Frontier Culture Museum, but each was a unique educational experience.
