Museum of Chinese in America

History

Founded in 1980 in Manhattan's Chinatown (紐約華埠), the museum began as the New York Chinatown History Project by historian John Kuo Wei Tchen and community resident and activist Charles Lai to promote a better understanding of the Chinese American experience and to address the concern that "the memories and experiences of aging older generations would perish without oral history, photo documentation, research and collecting efforts."

In 2005, the museum was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The museum moved to a new site at 215 Centre Street in 2009. It increased in size by sixfold, in a space that was designed by architect Maya Lin. The curator and director of exhibitions as of May 31, 2011 is Herb Tam. The permanent exhibition, With a Single Step was designed by Matter Practice.

Exhibitions

The core exhibition With a Single Step: Stories in the Making of America traces more than 160 years of Chinese American history and is augmented annually with two to four rotating exhibitions on thematic, historic, and artistic subjects.

The Museum in January 2015 presented Waves of Identity: 35 Years of Archiving. The title of the exhibit was inspired by a Chinese proverb, “Each wave of the Yangtze River pushes at the wave ahead.”

Current

Former

Collections

MOCA has amassed a nationally-significant collection of materials documenting Chinese life in America. Beginning as what the Smithsonian Magazine described as "a cultural rescue mission to save a little-known immigrant heritage," MOCA’s collection has grown to document the changing profile of Chinese America—from its humble beginnings in the 19th century to its dynamic presence today. Collections and Research Center houses more than 65,000 artifacts, photos, memorabilia, documents, oral histories, and art work. This expansive array of archival material enriches the history of Chinese in America for our visitors in ways both rigorously academic and profoundly personal.

Research Center

The Museum’s previous gallery space on 70 Mulberry Street is retained and transformed as an archival center and serves as a research center, open to anyone with a desire to learn or research Chinese American history. Online, the general public, students, educators, and scholars alike can find a host of features, such as Web-based versions of gallery exhibitions (including the core exhibit, The Chinese American Experience); and a comprehensive, interactive timeline of Chinese American history; downloadable resources on topics such as immigration and diversity are also available.

Special collections

Special collections include:

Legacy Awards Gala

At MOCA's 2015 Legacy Awards Gala, the museum paid tribute to Benefactors and Builders for creating foundations for a better world, and celebrating their outstanding achievements and contributions to the ongoing legacy of Chinese in America. Honorees were the C.V. Starr Scholars (The Starr Foundation with recognition by Savio Tung, Chief Investment Officer of Investcorp), Nancy Kwan (Hong Kong-born, American actress who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian ancestry in major Hollywood film roles), and William C. Louie (Founding Design Partner of the worldwide architectural firm, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates).

2014 honorees have included:

2013 honorees have included:

2012 honorees have included:

2011 honorees have included:

2010 honorees have included:

2009 honorees have included: