Entertainment & Arts

Okay—can clothing be art? Like, not just ‘nice’… but ‘museum-art’? In London, a big museum called the Victoria and Albert Museum opened an exhibition about designer Elsa Schiaparelli, and it explores how fashion can behave like imagination you can wear. A fashion designer doesn’t just pick colors. They shape fabric, choose textures, and build forms—almost like an architect, but instead of houses, they build outfits. Schiaparelli became famous for bold, playful ideas and for teaming up with artists. That’s a big deal because art is often meant to make you feel something or think something, and fashion can do that too—using buttons, zippers, embroidery, and surprising shapes. In a museum exhibition, you might see clothes displayed carefully, like treasure, along with photos, sketches, and accessories. Accessories are the extra pieces—like hats, jewelry, or bags—that complete a look. So this isn’t just about old clothes. It’s about human creativity: how a person can look at a sleeve, a pocket, or a pattern and say, “What if this was weird… in the most wonderful way?”

Question time: what if a museum didn’t just have art inside… but wore art on the outside like a giant, fancy jacket? That’s happening in Hong Kong at a museum called M+, where a huge artwork by artist Shahzia Sikander is going up on the building’s exterior around March 23. Imagine walking outside and—bam—there’s art as big as a building! Outdoor artworks are special because they don’t whisper from a quiet hallway. They wave at everyone: people who planned to visit, people just passing by, even people on buses. Big public art can change how a place feels, like turning an ordinary street into a “look up!” moment. This installation is timed with Art Basel Hong Kong week, which is kind of like a gigantic meet-up where galleries and artists from around the world bring artworks to share. It’s like a festival, but instead of rides and cotton candy, it’s paintings, sculptures, and creative ideas. And here’s the cool part: art isn’t only about being ‘pretty.’ It can tell stories, ask questions, and make your brain do a little hop—like, ‘Hmm, what does this mean to me?’

Have you ever walked into a room and thought, “Whoa… this place feels different!”? That’s what happened in New York City when the New Museum reopened after a big expansion. A museum is like a treasure chest for ideas. Instead of gold coins, you find paintings, sculptures, videos, and wild creations that make your brain ask questions. And when a museum expands, it’s like adding new levels to a game: more rooms, more corners to explore, and more places to discover something you didn’t even know you liked. An expansion takes serious planning. Builders and designers have to think about how people walk through the space, where the lights should shine, and how to keep artwork safe. Art can be delicate—some pieces don’t like bright sunlight, some need a special temperature, and some are huge and need strong walls or careful hanging systems. The reopening also included a free opening weekend with advance tickets, which is a cool way to invite lots of families to step inside and try the new space together. Visiting a museum can feel like time travel, imagination travel, and “future travel” all at once—because artists can show you history, dream worlds, or ideas nobody has built yet. And here’s the best part: you don’t have to be an artist already to enjoy it. You just have to look closely and notice what your mind does—does it feel calm, curious, giggly, or surprised?

Have you ever watched a movie and suddenly wanted to go outside and look at a tree like it’s a superhero? That’s the vibe of the Environmental Film Festival in the Washington, D.C. region, running March 19 through March 28. This festival is like a giant playlist of planet stories—movies about nature, wildlife, and how Earth works. And here’s something neat: films don’t just show pretty pictures. They can zoom in on tiny details our eyes usually miss, like the way a bee’s wings blur, or how a river twists like a ribbon. Festivals also bring people together in one place, so after a film, you might hear questions like: “How did they record that sound?” or “Where did they film that glacier?” That’s science curiosity sneaking in through popcorn. If you’ve never been to a film festival, think of it like a library… but for movies, and for a limited time. Some screenings can be family-friendly, and some are designed to help people learn and care in a calm, hopeful way. So whether you go in person or just get inspired at home, try this: watch nature like it’s a movie scene. Notice the lighting. Listen to the soundtrack—wind, birds, footsteps. Your neighborhood is basically a living documentary!

Did you know a movie isn’t just actors talking in front of a camera? It’s also costumes, music, lights, sounds, drawings, and computer magic—all working together like a huge team project. And this week, that team project got celebrated at the Academy Awards, also called the Oscars. The Oscars are like a giant “thank you” party for movies from the past year. People win awards for acting, directing, writing, music, costumes, and special effects—the stuff that makes you gasp, laugh, or sit super still because the story pulled you in. Let’s picture how many jobs it takes. Someone designs the costumes so characters look like a pirate, a scientist, or a dancing dragon—without needing to say a word. Someone mixes sound so footsteps don’t sound like marshmallows unless they’re supposed to. Someone creates visual effects so a spaceship can soar across the screen even if it was never really there. And here’s why awards matter for kids, too: they remind us that creativity isn’t one thing. Maybe you’re a great storyteller. Maybe you’re a great drawer. Maybe you’re a great music-maker who can turn a simple drumbeat into a heart-thumping chase scene. Now, from movie spotlights to real-life spotlights—let’s travel to a giant celebration in Hawaiʻi!

Imagine opening a book and thinking, “Hey… this story has a kid like me!” That’s what the Inclusive Books for Children Awards celebrate. These awards pick UK-published books for young readers—about ages 1 to 9—that include main characters from different backgrounds and life experiences. That could mean a character who is disabled, neurodivergent, from an ethnic minority group, or part of a family that looks different from yours—and the point is simple: lots of kids exist, so lots of kids should be in stories. One winning title mentioned in the news is “Supa Nova,” about a girl who loves science. Another is “Let’s Play,” made to be sensory-friendly and designed with accessibility in mind, including features like signs and braille. Braille is a system of raised dots that people can read with their fingertips. Why does this matter? Books aren’t just entertainment. They can be practice for empathy—like trying on someone else’s shoes for a few pages. And for kids who don’t often see themselves in stories, inclusive books can feel like a friendly wave that says, “You belong here.” Next time you’re at a library, try a mini-mission: pick one book that shows you a world you already know, and one that shows you a world you’re still learning about.

Picture this: you walk into an airport… but instead of only suitcases and boarding passes, you see huge paintings, shiny sculptures, and colors everywhere. That’s what’s happening in Los Angeles, where a major art fair called Frieze LA is opening—running from February 26 to March 1 at the Santa Monica Airport. An art fair is kind of like a mega “show-and-tell” for artists and galleries. Galleries are places that display art—sometimes to sell it, sometimes to share it, and often to help artists get noticed. At Frieze LA, about 95 galleries are involved, and there are events spread across the city too. Why an airport? Airports have big open spaces—like giant indoor playgrounds for imagination—so they can fit large art pieces that might not squeeze into a regular room. Plus, the setting feels fun and surprising: art where you expect airplanes. There are also parts of the fair that highlight newer, emerging galleries. That means you might see fresh styles and brand-new ideas, like discovering a new favorite book series before everyone else at school starts reading it. Art is a way humans share thoughts without needing a single ‘right’ answer—your brain gets to explore, wonder, and make connections all on its own.

Okay, imagine you could walk into a house where every single room is redesigned by a different super-creative decorator. One room might feel like a tropical jungle, another like a fancy library, and another like a cozy snack-and-movie cave. That’s the idea behind the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in West Palm Beach, Florida. This event uses real homes that designers transform into a giant gallery of ideas. This year, it’s extra fun because it includes two properties—so visitors can hop from one house to the other and see even more styles and surprises. You might spot bold colors, wild patterns, special lighting, and clever ways to arrange furniture so a space feels calm, bright, or energizing. But here’s the best part: it’s not just for looking. Ticket money helps support kids’ programs through the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. So a “pretty room” can turn into something powerful—like more learning programs, more activities, and more support for kids. Design is kind of like building a fort: you choose the shapes, the textures, the colors, and the flow. And when grown-ups share ideas like this, it can inspire families to make their own homes feel more comfortable and welcoming—no matter how big or small. That’s our happy trio of stories today: space-smarts, sea-mysteries, and a house bursting with creativity!

Have you ever walked into a place and thought, “Whoa, that’s a lot—lights, sounds, people, everything!”? In New York City, a museum tried something extra thoughtful: the Museum of the Moving Image hosted “Access Mornings” on February 21, 2026, giving families a calmer, sensory-friendly museum visit, aimed especially at children on the autism spectrum. Let’s break that down. “Sensory-friendly” means the museum is paying attention to senses—like sound, light, and crowded spaces. Some kids feel great in busy places. Other kids’ brains notice every tiny noise, like a thousand popcorn kernels popping at once. So a calmer time can help visitors explore without feeling rushed. During Access Mornings, families could arrive at 10:00 a.m., before regular public hours. That’s like getting into a playground before it gets super packed—more space to move, more time to look closely. And what is the Museum of the Moving Image? It’s a place that celebrates movies, cartoons, TV, and how pictures can look like they’re moving. It’s basically a giant playground for your eyes and imagination. Museums often have buttons to press, screens to watch, and rooms with cool displays—so small changes, like gentler sound levels and a calmer schedule, can make a big difference. This kind of event is also a reminder: when communities design places for lots of different needs, more people get to enjoy learning. Now, speaking of careful planning and getting ready… let’s blast off—calmly—into our final story about a rocket that’s practicing for its next big trip.

Have you ever walked into a room and thought, “Whoa… this place feels like imagination lives here”? In New York City’s Chinatown, a new arts-and-culture institute called The Wang Contemporary opened at 58 Bowery—and it opened during Lunar New Year celebrations. Lunar New Year is a holiday celebrated in many places around the world, and it follows the moon’s calendar. People often decorate with bright reds, share special foods, and spend time with family. One famous tradition is red envelopes, which can be given as a gift for good luck. At the opening, there were performances—think movement, music, and storytelling—and a big art installation that used the red-envelope idea in a super playful way: red-envelope-themed paper planes. Imagine a sky of paper airplanes swooshing overhead like a flock of red birds, except they’re made of art and ideas. Why do arts spaces matter? They’re like community playgrounds for your brain. Artists can show what they’ve made, neighbors can gather, and kids can see that creativity isn’t only in sketchbooks—it can be on walls, in rooms, and even hanging from the ceiling. And just like rockets and tortoises, art also takes planning: people design, build, test, and adjust until it feels right.

Have you ever celebrated a holiday that says, “Hello, spring!” right as the world starts to feel brighter? That’s what Nowruz is—Persian New Year—and there’s a free family festival coming to Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. Nowruz is celebrated by many people around the world, and it’s all about new beginnings. Think of it like your brain getting a fresh notebook: crisp pages, new ideas, and lots of possibilities. At the festival, families can expect storytelling and hands-on activities. Storytelling is like a time machine made of words—you can travel to new places without even leaving your seat. Hands-on activities mean you’re not just watching; you’re building, drawing, trying, and creating. One special part of Nowruz is something called a haft-seen table. It’s a traditional table set with items that often start with the same letter sound in Persian. The table can include symbols for things like growth, health, sweetness, and light. It’s kind of like making a “meaning table” where every object is a tiny clue about hopes for the new year. And because it’s at a museum, you’re surrounded by art—paintings, patterns, colors, and shapes—that can inspire your imagination like fireworks made of crayons. So if you love spring, stories, and making stuff with your hands, this festival sounds like a giant welcome party for the season.