Poetry and Music Gathering with China Institute

Queens Botanical Garden and The China Institute welcome the community to enjoy performances of traditional Chinese music and poetry readings inspired by cultural connections linking Chinese people and the natural world. Performers will include pipa/qin virtuoso Zhou Yi, artistic director of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of New York and an internationally acclaimed soloist (Tan Dunʼs Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra).

The performance will be preceded by a guided tour of the garden - highlighting some of the plants featured in the Flowers on a River exhibition which is on view at China Institute.

Advance registration encouraged; walk-ins welcome upon availability. Limited capacity.

Included in garden admission: Adults $6; Seniors (age 62+) $4; Students with ID $4; Individuals with Disabilities $4; Children (ages 4 to 12) $2; Children (3 and under) FREE; Members – FREE*

***Become a Garden Member today and enjoy free admission all yearlong, including festival days like Climate Arts Festival! CLICK HERE to become a Member.

Free & Reduced Pricing Opportunities

The Garden partners with many organizations to offer free or reduced admission, including CoolCulture and CUNY students. Check our Admissions page to learn more about our partnerships, terms of discount or free admission, and instructions for redeeming. Please note that select events that are included in admission may require registration and be first-come, first-served.

Registration required; walk-ins welcome upon availability. Limited capacity.

This program is made possible by the China Institute and its China Institute Gallery. During the months of April, May, and June, Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) will partner with China Institute and its China Institute Gallery to present public programs illuminating themes of the Gallery’s exhibition Flowers on a River: The Art of Chinese Flower and Bird Painting, 1368 – 1911, Masterworks from Tianjin Museum and Changzhou Museum. On view between March 23 and June 25, 2023 at 40 Rector Street in Lower Manhattan, Flowers on a River features more than 100 masterpieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties, most have never been seen before in the United States.

About China Institute Gallery:

Founded in 1966, China Institute Gallery offers world-class thematic exhibitions of bronzes, calligraphy, ceramics, decorative art, folk art, painting, photography, textiles, and contemporary art. In the words of The New York Times’ Holland Cotter: “Season after season, (the Gallery) brings extraordinary treasures to New York, many directly from China, loans that even big-budget museums might have trouble nailing. With this material it creates exhibitions that advance scholarship…but also give unalloyed pleasure.”

About China Institute:

China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in art, education, culture, cuisine, and business that bring to life the country’s depth, complexity, and dynamism. Founded in 1926 by Chinese reformers Hu Shi and Kuo Pingwen and American educators John Dewey and Paul Monroe, China Institute is the oldest bicultural, non-profit organization in America to focus exclusively on China. Today, our newly renovated headquarters in Lower Manhattan hosts a broad array of art, education, and public programs that illuminate the country’s past, present, and future.

Flowers on a River Exhibition Sponsors include the following:

Know Before You Go

Health & Safety

Reference current health & safety guidelines, found on our website: https://queensbotanical.org/know-before-you-go

Refund Policy

Tickets are non-refundable, except in the event of a cancellation by the organizer. 

Cancellations

In the case that an event is cancelled, you will be notified via email and refunded.

Communications

By purchasing tickets and attending QBG events, you hereby opt in to receiving communications from the Garden and event sponsor The China Institute. You may receive updates about future QBG events and news through the addresses you provide. If you do not wish to receive future communication, simply click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of an email or write to info@queensbotanical.org.

Garden Etiquette

QBG staff strives to provide a place of peace, beauty, and safety for the quiet enjoyment of our visitors. QBG is a living museum, a collection of gardens for the study, culture, exhibition, and display of plants. We encourage our visitors to explore, enjoy, and be respectful of our plant collections and to be considerate of fellow guests as well. For more guidelines on garden etiquette: https://queensbotanical.org/etiquette

Photography & Videography

Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) occasionally photographs or films visitors and activities on site to support our mission in promotional media and materials, including print, online, broadcast, and social media. By attending this event, you grant permission to QBG use your likeness in perpetuity, in all forms of print and digital media used to promote, publicize, or advertise the Garden, its activities, and programs. If you do not give QBG permission to take and use your image, you must notify an event organizer or staff when you arrive for this event. QBG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Getting to QBG

By public transportation, take the number 7 subway line to Main Street, the Long Island Rail Road (Port Washington line) to Main Street/Flushing, or the Q44-SBS or Q20 bus.

For driving directions and more information: https://queensbotanical.org/directions

Parking

Parking is available year-round during Garden open hours at the Parking Garden, located at 42-80 Crommelin Street, Flushing, NY 11355. For more information: https://queensbotanical.org/directions

About Queens Botanical Garden

QBG is an urban oasis where people, plants and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs and real-world applications of environmental stewardship. QBG is located on property owned by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Queens Borough President, the New York City Council, State elected officials, the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with corporate, foundation, and individual supporters. For more information, visit www.queensbotanical.org or call (718) 886-3800.