Chinese Canadian Museum officially opens to the public 華裔博物館盛大開幕
Foreword by Fête Chinoise Editorial team, with notes from the Chinese Canadian Museum and Dr. Melissa Lee. Photography by william luk
In March of 2022, our Editor-in-Chief visited the then temporary home of the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown, which had already-impressive exhibits and vignettes of Chinese-Canadian history. We had an opportunity to speak with the recently appointed CEO of the Museum, Melissa. To commemorate the new beginning of this monumental institution in Canadian history and the history of Chinese diasporas in Canada, there is a feature story inside the current edition of the 2023 Fête Chinoise Design Annual. Be sure to pick up a copy and learn more! In the meantime, we share some highlights from the grand opening weekend and invite you to pay a visit to this incredible institution when you are on the west coast!
The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export ProMotion and International Trade of Canada, stands with the team at the Chinese Canadian Museum, including CEO Dr. Melissa Lee, and, and Grace Wong, Board Chair.
The Chinese Canadian Museum officially opened 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.
“We are so proud to officially open the Chinese Canadian Museum and welcome visitors to explore, discover and learn about the stories and journeys of so many Chinese Canadians who sacrificed so much to help build the country into what it is today,” says Grace Wong, Board Chair for the Chinese Canadian Museum. “It is truly groundbreaking and momentous for Canada to have a dedicated museum that honours the history, legacies, and contributions of Chinese Canadians throughout the generations.”
The museum’s opening ceremony was attended by several government dignitaries including B.C. Premier David Eby; Federal Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, Mary Ng; B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, Lana Popham; and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, along with private donors, contributors, and community members. At the event, a commemorative bronze plaque from Parks Canada was also unveiled to mark 100 years of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act.
“The opening weekend was a whirlwind of activity and a phenomenal success. Community members from across Canada and the United States came to celebrate our grand opening festivities. We are so grateful for all of the support, to the committed and hardworking board, to the staff, to the artists that we have commissioned, to everyone that contributed to making the Chinese Canadian Museum a success.”
“Our first-of-its-kind museum is the result of many long years of hard work and collaboration, to create a positive, inclusive and transformative place where people can gather to bridge cultures and generations, and where the lived experiences of Chinese Canadians can be shared with Canadians from coast to coast to coast,” says Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum. “We’re here to elevate Chinese Canadian voices, foster respect, honour and enrich our legacies and engage with diverse communities across Canada.”
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.
“I hope that the Chinese Canadian Museum will serve as an inspiration to others, by showing how great things can be achieved when community members work together. I look forward to the Museum already inspiring the next generation, as a place for discovering Canada’s cultural and rich history and how we can contribute to Vancouver Chinatown, the province, the country in the years ahead.”
The Chinese Canadian Museum is a not-for-profit charitable organization established in 2020. Since its founding, the museum has presented five featured exhibitions at its two temporary sites in Vancouver and Victoria and offered numerous in-person and online programs to communities across B.C. The Museum is governed by an 18-member Board representing a diverse cross-section of professional and community experience.
More from Fête Chiniose
Meet Tiana Shern, a TikTok dance sensation with over a million international followers — and counting. Born and raised in Markham, Ont., the 26-year-old Chinese Canadian started her dancing career relatively late in life. But her passion for and dedication to mixed-style hip-hop choreography have since taken her far. Based in Toronto, Shern frequently travels to Vancouver and Los Angeles to work with local dancers while honing her own dance skills through continuous training. For her, dance isn’t just a popular social trend. It’s a powerful form of interpersonal communication that brings people together, regardless of cultural background or body type.