For Immediate Release
From: Alison Darby, 864-958-5264
Date: Jan. 28, 2026

Subject: Community can partake in Vietnamese culture at Belton Depot

This Sunday, Feb. 1, weather permitting, the Belton Area Museum Association (BAMA) will introduce our
community to the culture of Vietnam with an opening celebration of its newest exhibit Văn Hóa: A
Cultural Look at Vietnam, Past and Present at the historic Belton Depot.
From 3 – 5 PM, visitors can enjoy authentic Vietnamese food and create a Vietnamese calligraphy
version of a new year’s blessing. A special treat is a performance of hymns sung in Vietnamese by the
Greenville Vietnamese Baptist Church choir. Visitors can also peruse the many items on display.
Vietnam is a country of craftsmen, so naturally included in the exhibit are ceramics, enamelware,
carvings, and home goods, traditional Vietnamese clothing, and hand painted decorative items. The
years of the Vietnam War are covered and relics from that time period are also on display. Additionally,
modern day name brand clothing and home goods items manufactured in Vietnam showcase the
economic partnership between our two countries.
All attendees will also receive a discount card for services at Royal Nails, a Vietnamese-owned business
in Belton, SC.
“In addition to the opening celebration, throughout the exhibit run, there are ancillary activities planned
for our community,” stated executive director Abigail Burden, “so we invite everyone to enjoy these
events.”
On Thursday, Feb. 5, from 10-noon, BAMA will host a Home School Day for students ages 7 – 12. During
the event, students will be immersed in Vietnamese history and culture. Registration is required in
advance (by Wednesday, Feb. 4), and students pay $3 per person for this cultural learning opportunity.
On Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 PM, Dr. Erin McCoy, an associate professor at USC Beaufort and Technical
College of the Lowcountry, will present a SC Humanities program on the topic: “How Music Shaped the
Vietnam War.” This free event enables our community to enjoy a topic of interest tied in to this exhibit
conducted by a Fullbright Global Scholar! An engaging speaker, Dr. McCoy will discuss her current
research in music, both anti-war and patriotic, that helped to form public opinion during the 1960’s and
1970’s.
On Thursday, March 5, BAMA will host its biennial Night for the Museum, Lễ Hội, with a Vietnamese
cultural flair. Sponsorships are being sought as well as items to be placed on the silent and live auction
lists. Tickets will be available beginning Feb. 11, so look for information about this popular and exciting
event benefitting free edcuational, cultural and historical programming at the museum.
The Belton Center for the Arts is joining us in this months long celebration of Vietnamese culture by
offering an Introduction to Vietnamese-Inspired Ceramics class, beginning on March 3 and continuing
for three weeks. Ages 16 and up are encouraged to register by calling 864-338-8556. For a $90 fee,
each student will be taught the fundamentals of ceramic art, from clay to finished product, and will take
home their own production of a one-of-a-kind piece from the new pottery studio.

The exhibit Văn Hóa: A Cultural Look at Vietnam, Past and Present is being sponsored by SC
Humanities, Darby Metalworks, Inc., the City of Belton HTAX, Anderson County ATAX, the Standpipe Inn,
and the Tea Potter.
The exhibit will be on display until April 25, during normal museum hours: Wednesday – Friday
(9 til 2) and Saturday (10 -noon), or by appointment for large groups.
For more information, please contact Abigail Burden, Executive Director, at 864-338-7400 or
[email protected]. Check out our Facebook page for up to date information about
events and activities.
The Belton Area Museum Association is a place where people of all ages, backgrounds, and
ethnicities can learn about and experience our area’s history and culture. Museum admission is
free.