Museum of Chinese in America facts for kids
The museum in 2015
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | 215 Centre Street New York, NY 10013 USA |
| Type | Art, Cultural, History museum |
| Public transit access | Subway: Canal Street, 2 blocks away (         trains) |
The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is a special museum in New York City. It shows the amazing story of Chinese American people. This museum is a nonprofit group. This means it works for a good cause, not to make money. It teaches about the history, culture, and different experiences of Chinese Americans.
In January 2020, a fire sadly damaged many items in the museum's collection. But don't worry, many items were saved! After being closed for over a year, the museum reopened on July 15, 2021.
Contents
About the Museum of Chinese in America
How MOCA Started
The Museum of Chinese in America began in 1980. It was first called the New York Chinatown History Project. It was started by a historian named John Kuo Wei Tchen and a community activist, Charles Lai. They wanted to help people understand the Chinese American experience. They also wanted to make sure that the memories of older generations were recorded. They did this through stories, photos, and collecting items.
From 1997 to 2006, Fay Chew Matsuda was the director of the museum. In 2005, the museum received a large donation. This money helped the museum grow and do more.
Moving to a New Home
In 2009, the museum moved to a new, much bigger building. This new space was designed by the famous architect Maya Lin. It was six times larger than the old place! The main exhibit, With a Single Step, was also designed for this new space. In May 2011, Herb Tam became the museum's curator. This means he helps choose and organize the exhibits.
In 2019, the museum opened a new gift shop. It's called MOCA Shop by Pearl River. It sells items that are important in Chinese American culture.
The 2020 Fire and Recovery
In January 2020, a fire happened at 70 Mulberry Street. This building held many of the museum's items. About 85,000 items were at risk of water damage. At first, people thought most items were lost. But, many items were actually saved! About 35,000 items had already been copied digitally. Experts worked hard to clean and save the damaged items. They prevented mold and kept the items from falling apart.
In 2024, the museum bought its main building at 215 Centre Street. This means they now own their home!
Exhibitions
Exhibitions are special displays or shows at a museum. They help visitors learn about different topics.
The main exhibition at MOCA is called With a Single Step: Stories in the Making of America. It tells the story of Chinese American history over 160 years. The museum also adds two to four new exhibits each year. These new shows cover different themes, historical events, or art.
In 2015, the museum had an exhibit called Waves of Identity: 35 Years of Archiving. Its name came from a Chinese saying. It means that each new wave of the Yangtze River pushes the one before it. This shows how history keeps moving forward.
Current Exhibitions
- With a Single Step: Stories in the Making of America (September 1, 2009 – December 31, 2023)
Past Exhibitions
Here are a few examples of past exhibitions:
- Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Spicy: Stories of Chinese Food and Identity in America (March 17, 2023 – November 12, 2023)
- Responses: Asian American Voices Resisting the Tides of Racism (July 15, 2021 – October 29, 2023)
- an unlikely photojournalist: Emile Bocian in Chinatown (December 14, 2020 – December 31, 2021)
- The Chinese Helped Build the Railroad - The Railroad Helped Build America (October 17, 2019 – March 22, 2020)
- FOLD: Golden Venture Paper Sculptures (October 5, 2017 – March 25, 2018)
- Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong (March 26, 2015 – September 13, 2015)
Collections
MOCA's collections are like a treasure chest of history. They include over 85,000 items. These items are artifacts, photos, souvenirs, documents, and artworks. They cover 160 years of Chinese American life. You can find old Chinese restaurant menus, boat tickets, family photos, and even wedding dresses.
Research Center
The museum has a special Research Center. It used to be a gallery space. Now, it's a place where people can study the museum's collections. It has online versions of exhibits. It also has an interactive timeline of Chinese American history. The center offers resources about topics like immigration. This Research Center was also damaged by the 2020 fire.
Special Collections
Here are some of the unique collections at MOCA:
| Name of Collection | What it's About |
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| Recovering Chinatown: The 9/11 Collection | This collection has images, videos, stories, and items related to the September 11 attacks. These attacks happened near Chinatown. The museum started collecting these items right after 9/11. |
| Fly to Freedom Collection | This collection has 173 paper sculptures. They were made by passengers from the ship Golden Venture. This ship ran aground in 1993. Many passengers were held in detention. They made these sculptures as gifts and to pass the time. |
| Oral History Collection | MOCA has recorded about 350 interviews. These interviews are stories and memories from Chinese Americans. They were collected between 1980 and 2013. |
| Marcella Dear Collection | This collection was given by Marcella Chin Dear. It includes textiles, books, old records, posters, and family items. The Chin family lived in Manhattan's Chinatown for five generations. |
| Qipao/Cheongsam Collection | This collection has beautiful Chinese dresses called qipao/cheongsam. One part of the collection has 77 dresses from the 1930s and 1940s. Another part has 367 family dresses. Some were designed by Angela King's mother, who was a fashion designer. |
| Hazel Ying Lee Collection | This collection tells the story of Hazel Ying Lee. She was a Chinese American woman pilot in the 1930s and 1940s. It includes her photos, letters, and newspaper articles. |
| CMTA Collection | The Chinese Musical and Theatrical Association (CMTA) collection has about 26 opera costumes. It also has musical instruments, shoes, hats, and stage props. These items show how Cantonese opera clubs were important to Chinese immigrants. |
Legacy Awards Gala
The Legacy Awards Gala is an event where MOCA honors people and groups. These people have made important contributions to Chinese American culture. For example, in 2015, they honored the actor Nancy Kwan. Other honorees have included famous people like Michael Bloomberg (a former New York City mayor) and Lucy Liu (an actress).
See also
- Chinese Americans in New York City
- Chinese American Museum (in Los Angeles)
- Chinese Historical Society of America (in San Francisco)
