Museum of Chinese in America

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. In late 2009, 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 exhibits and educational programs. The permanent exhibit traces the Chinese-American experience 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. — 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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Best of New York Awards

• Best Museum for Pre-Schoolers (2011)

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