Children’s programs available at Skirball

Skirball Cultural Center will host "A Walk through the Past: An Interactive Family Archaeology Tour" at 2 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 8 and 29 and Feb. 12 and 26 getting underway in the lobby of the Skirball, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. The program is free with paid admission.

Created for the whole family (children ages 5 and older with an adult), this dynamic docent-led tour of the Skirball’s newly renovated Teri B. Ziffren Archaeology Discovery Center shows visitors how the experiences of mankind’s ancient ancestors in the Near East helped shape the world today.

Visitors will learn about the major civilizations in the Near East from the Neolithic to the Roman period through interactive encounters with ancient artifacts, recreated environments, multimedia presentations, and educational games and activities.

From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sundays, all ages are invited to the "Archaeology Adventures" program (free with paid admission). Led by educator Richard Sakamoto, participants will learn about the history of the ancient Near East, the methods for excavating a site, and the importance of preserving archaeological artifacts. This program is presented (weather permitting) at the Ralph M. Parsons Outdoor Dig and the adjacent Marcia and John Goldman Archaeology Field Laboratory.

The "Stories on Sundays by BookPALS" program will be presented from 1:15 to 1:45 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 9 and 23 and Feb. 13 at the Skirball.

Designed for children ages 3 and older (with an adult), this free program will feature actor Barton Caplan from the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s BookPALS in the Resource Center’s Kids’ Corner. Caplan will read lively stories related to the monthly themes of "Environmental Journeys" in January and "Heartfelt Stories" in February.

The Skirball is open noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. General admission ranges from $6 to $12. All exhibitions are free for Skirball members and children younger than 12.