Profile

In 1980, John Kuo Wei Tchen and Charles Lai founded the Chinatown History Project, hoping to document, over a period of three to four years, the history of the neighborhood in New York. Nearly 30 years later, their research became the Museum of Chinese in America. The environmentally friendly space, designed by Chinese-American artist/designer Maya Lin, houses a permanent collection, rotating temporary exhibits and educational programs. The permanent exhibit traces the Chinese-American experience—from China's first trades with the Western world to the contemporary struggles of Chinese-Americans—using photos, artifacts, and information in both Chinese and English. Organized chronologically, the collection’s rooms each have a theme, such as an exhibit on Chinese workers that replaced striking white laborers in the 1800s, or one that deals with the Chinese stereotypes that proliferated in the early to mid-nineties. Kids will love the museum's interactive elements, including pull-out maps, viewfinders, and a re-creation of an old Chinese merchant's general store. The museum also features an "Open Threads" map, which invites visitors to submit (on-site or online) the story of how they and their families came to the United States. The stories will then be turned into cards and pinpoints hung on the map. — Alexandra Martell

Admission on Thursdays is free, sponsored by Target.

For Research
MOCA's archives are available by appointment to researchers in the museum's old space on the second floor of P.S. 23's old building, at 70 Mulberry St.

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