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Pacific Asia Museum Offers Family Cultural Programs : Galleries: Free monthly Saturday afternoon events spotlight the arts, music and dance of Myanmar, Korea and Thailand.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Free Fun: The Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena will open its galleries to the public free of charge and offer special events spotlighting Pacific Asian cultures in its “Family Free Days” program from 1 to 4 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

A “Myanmar (Burma) Celebration” kicks off this year’s program on Jan. 15 with a day of traditional Myanmar dance, music, an arts and crafts display and an arts workshop for children.

Future “Family Free Days” include a “Korean Festival” on Feb. 19 with singer-songwriter Phyllis Chang leading a sing-along, plus other activities based on Korean culture and traditions.

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On March 19, “Thai Community Open House” presents Thai tales performed by Paradorn Thiel with Shadow Puppets (Nang Ta Lung), Thai classical music and dance, sword-fighting, boxing and a lecture on Thai traditional painting.

For more information: (818) 449-2742.

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Music Hath Charms: Da Camera Society’s “Children’s Concerts in Historic Sites” series offers three Saturday afternoon programs in Los Angeles museums.

Children ages 4 and up, and their families, can browse through the museums and experience music and storytelling. Snacks and a memento of the visit are provided.

The season begins Jan. 29 at the George C. Page Museum with conductor James Forward, pianist Delores Stevens, percussionist Robert Fernandez and storyteller Peter Kors. At press time, this program had sold out.

On March 19, at the Japanese American National Museum, featured artists include storyteller Sandra Mizumoto Posey, cellist Atsushi Sakai and the Japanese Festival Sounds with taiko drumming.

The series concludes May 14 at UCLA’s Fowler Museum of Cultural History, with bedtime stories, the music and dances of Uganda and children’s songs and dances from West Africa with storyteller Sybil Desta, musicians James Macubuya and Christian Horton.

Tickets: $10 per child; $18 per adult; families (two adults, two children), $39.

For more information: (310) 440-1351.

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Video Log: Katharine Hepburn narrates six fairy tales for ages 2 and up in the video release of her “World of Stories” children’s program.

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The animated stories, each illustrated by a different artist, include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “The Musicians of Bremen,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Nightingale” and “Tattercoats.” In color. $19.95. From White Star, (908) 229-2343.

Meanwhile, for hard-to-find children’s videos: Facets Kids Video Catalog lists quality kidvids, including many international film competition winners.

For a free copy of the catalogue, call (800) 331-6197.

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Way Out West: Children can learn about life in the Old West in craft workshops at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum.

On Feb. 5, participants will make uniform pieces as worn by the Buffalo Soldiers--the respectful name that Native Americans bestowed upon African American infantrymen and cavalrymen in the late-1800s to honor the soldiers’ courage and strength.

A March workshop, inspired by the works of landscape artist W. H. D. Koemer, gives children the opportunity to create their own artistic impressions of the West.

Materials are provided and workshops are free with museum admission: adults, $7; children, 2 through 12, $3. Information: (213) 667-2000, ext. 340.

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