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      In-person Event

      Winter Solstice Celebration

      Saturday, December 20, 2025 from 10:30 am—3 pm

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      Sunlit rays shining through winter forest

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      In-person event

      Qigong Class: $10 members; $20 nonmembers (includes museum admission)

      Solstice Ritual      : $15 members; $25 nonmembers (includes museum admission)
      Location: Vanessa Platacis: Taking Place exhibition gallery

      Yule Centerpieces: Included with admission

      Harp Performance      : Included with admission
      Location: Main Atrium

      Welcome winter with an array of nurturing programs! Join us for a grounding qigong class, engage in a powerful solstice ritual, design your own yule log centerpiece and enjoy joyous Celtic harp music while sipping something warm from the Atrium Café.

      Qigong Class | Winter Practice with Master Zhou Xuan Yun
      10:30–11:30 am | Vanessa Platacis: Taking Place exhibition gallery | Ground Level
      Preregistration required.

      Join Master Zhou Xuan Yun for a morning qigong practice in the galleries. Tap into the power of breath and movement during this accessible class designed to prepare our bodies and minds for the winter season.

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      Drop-in Art Making | Yule Log Centerpieces
      11 am–3 pm | Main Atrium | Ground Level
      Included with admission

      Winter Solstice is honored around the world as a time of gathering together during the longest night of the year. Celebrate by creating a decorative yule log centerpiece for your table.

      Live Music | Harp Performance by Mary King
      Noon–2 pm | Main Atrium | Ground Level
      Included with admission

      The harp is one of civilization’s oldest instruments and is central to rituals and celebrations throughout the world. Join us for a performance by master harpist Mary King, showcasing Celtic and seasonal tunes.

      Workshop | Winter Solstice Community Circle and Ritual with Tam Willey and Rev. Tracy Rich
      1–3 pm | Vanessa Platacis: Taking Place exhibition gallery | Ground Level
      Preregistration required.

      Step into a moment of intention-setting and community connection as we engage in the process of art making, reflection and mindfulness. Bring curiosity and wonder as we connect with the rhythms of the natural world with Tam Willey of Toadstool Walks and Rev. Tracy Rich of Welcoming Journey. Tam Willey and Rev. Tracy Rich have been offering a solstice ceremony together since 2017 and collaborating in various ways since 2008.

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      About our collaborators

      Master Zhou Xuan Yun
      Master Zhou Xuan Yun

      Master Zhou Xuan Yun was born in a small village in central China’s Henan Province. At the age of 16, Zhou Xuan Yun took vows to become a Daoist Monk and began his study of Daoist philosophy and religious practices. Zhou Xuan Yun has devoted years of his life to studying full time in Wudang’s temples. He belongs to the Orthodox Unity sect (正一道 Zheng Yi Dào) of Daoism and is trained in ritual arts, chanting, divination and internal alchemy. Zhou Xuan Yun is a formally recognized disciple of Master Li Guang Fu 李光富, the Chairman of the Chinese Taoist Association (中国道教协会会长). With over 20 years of teaching experience, Master Zhou continues to share his skills and knowledge of Daoist martial and healing arts with students and teachers of all levels and ages. He has taught students from over 25 different countries and is considered to be the first Daoist monk to bring the traditional and authentic martial arts, as taught on the Wudang Mountains, and the first disciple to build a Daoist Center in the United States.

      Mary King
      Mary King

      Mary King (she/her) is a Rhode Island harpist who plays a variety of contemporary and Celtic repertoire at events throughout New England. She was a recipient of a 2020-2021 grant from the Southern New England apprentice program as a master Celtic harpist. Both her parents came from Ireland and gave her a real love of Celtic music. She feels blessed to play for so many memorable times in people’s lives.

      Tam Willey
      Tam Willey

      Tam Willey (they/them) is a queer guide, mentor and educator with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. A founder of Toadstool Walks and co-founder of Acorn Programs, Willey designs and facilitates nature-based programs with local organizations such as The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, The Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Mass Audubon. They also work with The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth, The Venture Out Project and Wild Mountain Retreats. To learn more about their forest bathing and immersive experiences, check out ToadstoolWalks.com

      Rev. Tracy Rich
      Rev. Tracy Rich

      Rev. Tracy Rich (she/her) is an ordained interspiritual Minister of Walking Prayer and certified Chanting and Meditation Leader. She is also Director of the Lauren and Mark Rubin Visiting Moms Program (Center for Early Relationship Support). Rev. Rich provides spiritual mentoring for individuals and groups, with a focus on mindfulness, integration and healing. To learn more, check out Welcoming Journey.

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