The Chinese Canadian Museum is pleased to officially open its doors to the public on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Located in the historic Wing Sang Building at 51 East Pender Street in Vancouver Chinatown, the Chinese Canadian Museum provides a meaningful and transformative experience for all, connecting everyone to the diverse and eclectic stories and contributions of generations of Chinese Canadians.
The museum features bright, renewed, and contemporary spaces that herald cultural experiences and its connection to Chinese Canadian historical perspectives and modern-day narratives. Through exhibitions, educational programming, and special events, the Chinese Canadian Museum promises to be an impactful addition to the fabric of Vancouver Chinatown and across Canada.
The Chinese Canadian Museum also features:
- A recreated period living room with interactive antique objects that bring visitors back in time to the 1930s when the original Wing Sang Building owner, Yip Sang and his family lived in Chinatown.
- One of Vancouver’s oldest school rooms registered in 1914 with many original elements kept intact — it initially served as a classroom for Yip Sang’s children and children from the community.
- A separate introduction gallery space featuring Odysseys and Migration, an exhibition that explores the Chinese diaspora from the early waves to present day.
- An interactive immigration map on which visitors can draw and share the origins and immigration journeys of their families.
- The Journeys Here, a painted wall mural by Chinese Canadian artist Marlene Yuen, highlighting Chinese Canadian journeys and experiences past to present.
- Embracing Diversity, a commissioned art sculpture piece by Musqueam artist Susan Point and her son Thomas Cannell to honour the strong connection and the historical ties of the Indigenous peoples and early Chinese migrants in Canadian history.
The museum’s opening feature exhibition, The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act, curated by Catherine Clement, focuses on the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Paper Trail exhibition takes an unflinching look at Canada’s exclusion years from 1923 to 1947, revealing haunting stories of loss, despair and fear, as well as powerful examples of courage and perseverance despite incredible odds.
As the Founding Patrons of the Chinese Museum, Amber Financial Corporation also attended this significant opening event.
After enduring the test of time, the Chinese community in Canada has inherited the wisdom and courage of their predecessors while staying true to their initial aspirations. We cordially invite all Chinese individuals to visit the Chinese Museum in Canada, to touch the imprints left by time, feel the resilience and pride that belong to us, and collectively traverse this unique and precious century-long journey of Chinese immigration. Let us showcase the heritage and development of the Chinese community to the world, establishing a proud monument for future generations.
Amber Financial sincerely invites you to savor this profound period, jointly writing the brilliant chapter of the Chinese community in Canada!
