Christina Trifonova, from Rockville, Maryland, and her two daughters, nine-year-old Ales and five-year-old Sinona, pose for photos after dressed up in traditional Chinese costumes on Saturday morning in the Kogod Courtyard of American Art Museum in Washington where the Chinese New Year Family event was held to greet the Year of the Monkey, which falls on Feb 8. [Photo by Chen Weihua/China Daily USA]

"It’s really interesting for us to learn something from different country and culture," said Trifonova, who said they were in a hurry to catch the next lion dance.

This was the third year the American Art Museum hosted the Chinese New Year Family Festival. Total visitors on Saturday were estimated at 7,300, according to the museum, in comparison the some 4,800 last year.

Richard Kurin, the under secretary of Smithsonian Institution, said his institution is dedicated to understanding people and culture, the tradition, the values, the aspiration of people around the world, history, art and the music. "So this is part of our regular program respecting the people and culture of the world," he said.

"We want people to come together, to understand each other and celebrate each other’s culture," said Kurin.