From Welcome to Chinatown NYC

Museums are the cultural marker of a community's presence and importance. Museums focusing on the Chinese experience in New York City and the US offer both quantitative and qualitative accounts of the experiences of Chinese immigrants. These museums offer histories detailing the number of railroad workers in early Chinese-American history to life during the Chinese Exclusion Act. They allow both the larger population and the community to trace back their heritage and realize their importance to the city.

Museums that focus exclusively on Chinese American experience in New York include the Museum of Chinese in America MoCA, and the China Institute. The Asia Society focuses broadly on issues in the region, but has several Chinese American specific exhibits, as well as author panels, meet-the-artist events, and language initiatives pertinent to the Chinese community in NYC.

Shared Goals of Chinese Museums in NYC

• House permanent collections as well as special exhibits (Confucius: His Life and Legacy)
• Promote cultural diffusion and understanding
• Provide heritage sites where immigrants can reconnect with China
• Categorize the immigrant experience
• Hold panels about important topics in the region (e.g. Revisiting historical landmarks)
• Act as lobbying centers for funds as well as region-specific bills
• Gathering grounds for the community to meet and mobilize
• Community based services, including language initiatives, student and after-school groups

Museum of Chinese in America (MoCA)

MoCA was founded in 1980 as a community-based project entitled the New York Chinatown History Project by historian John Kuo Wei Tchen and activist John Lai. The museum is devoted to preserving the "history, heritage, culture, and diverse experiences of people of Chinese descent in the United States." ^[1] The museum connects people from various cultural backgrounds by promoting interaction and understanding between the visitors and the lively exhibitions and programs that bring 160 years of Chinese American history to life.

MoCA Exhibits Video Essay

China Institute

The China Institute was established in 1926 through a collaboration between progressive Chinese and American educators (including John Dewey) to promote an understanding of China through education, business, the arts, and cultural exposure and exchange. The institute offers numerous activities, such as innovative programs, courses and seminars for all ages and backgrounds. Programs include performing arts, history, music, philosophy, language, literature, business, current affairs, and professional developmental programs for K-12 teachers. ^[2]

Asia Society

The Asia society was established in 1956 to promote deeper political, cultural, artistic, and economic exchange between Asia and the US, and is the largest Pan-Asian society, with centers in Hong Kong, Shanghai, LA, Houston, New York, Washington D.C., Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, and Seoul. ^[3]



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References

1. ↑ MoCA. Web. <http://www.mocanyc.org/about/>.
2. ↑ China Institute. Web. <http://www.chinainstitute.org/index.cfm>.
3. ↑ Asia Society. Web. <http://www.asiasociety.org>.