06/12/2026
Join us for a Japanese Tea Ceremony and cultural exchange at the National Hellenic Museum.
The National Hellenic Museum, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art, and the Japanese Culture Center co-present an afternoon exploring how traditions are preserved.
📆 Saturday, June 20
🕑 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍National Hellenic Museum, 333 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60661
🎟️ Seats are limited, $30/person
🌐 https://mic_teaceremony.eventbrite.com
Known as chanoyu or chado in Japan, this tradition of sharing tea boasts a history spanning over 400 years. The Japanese Culture Center is honored to visit the National Hellenic Museum as a guest presenter for a special cultural demonstration.
Guests will have the unique opportunity to observe the intricate, choreographic steps of an authentic chanoyu ceremony up close, learn the philosophy behind the practice, and engage with the presenters during an interactive Q&A session.
Following the ceremony, sample matcha tea, Greek coffee, and traditional sweets while learning about the role that rituals, both formal ceremonies and everyday customs, play in preserving cultural identity and community.
Whether experienced through a ceremonial tea gathering or a daily cup of coffee shared with family and friends, rituals connect us to our histories and to one another.
💬 Museums in Conversation is a new initiative that brings the National Hellenic Museum together with cultural institutions across Chicago to share programs, stories, and perspectives.
We are thankful for the people at the partnering organizations who share our commitment to spark curiosity and dialogue and connect people across generations and cultures.
Each partnership opens doors to new perspectives, audiences, and opportunities to engage with collections, archives, and experiences that enrich our cultural landscape. With rotating partners and year-round programming, Museums in Conversation invites our communities to learn from each other.
During our period of collaboration, members of both institutions receive reciprocal admission and access to all partnered events.
