Chinese American Museum 華美博物館 | |
Established: | 1984 |
Location: | 425 North Los Angeles Street Los Angeles, CA |
Coordinates: | 34.0558°N -118.2391°W |
Type: | Chinese-American experience and history in Southern California |
Website: | Chinese American Museum official site |
The Chinese American Museum (Chinese: 華美博物館; abbreviated CAM) is a museum located in Downtown Los Angeles as a part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. It is dedicated to the history and experience of Chinese Americans in the state of California, the first such museum in Southern California. It presents exhibits of fine art by Chinese American artists as well as historical exhibits.
Planning for the museum began in October 1984, with the grand opening taking place on December 18, 2003.
The museum is housed in the Garnier Building, the oldest surviving Chinese building in Southern California. The original Los Angeles Chinatown was located here before it was moved to New Chinatown for the construction of Los Angeles Union Station.[1]
See main article: Old Chinatown, Los Angeles.
It is funded by the State of California, the City of Los Angeles, Friends of the Chinese American Museum, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, the Getty Foundation,[2] the El Pueblo Association, the Center for Chinese Medicine, and hundreds of other donors.
A permanent exhibit at the museum is the recreation of the Hing Yuen Hong Chinese Herb Shop of yesteryear. Another permanent exhibit opened on December 13, 2012, is "Origins: The Birth and Rise of Chinese American Communities in Los Angeles", celebrating the growth and development of Cantonese American enclaves from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley.
Past exhibits have included "Sunshine and Shadow: In Search of Jake Lee", showcasing the 60 watercolor work of prolific artist Jake Lee; "Milton Quon's Los Angeles" (2005-2006); "The Art of Diana Shui-In Wong" (2006); and "Tyrus Wong (Chinese: 黃齊耀): A Retrospective" (2004), who was one of the earliest and most influential Chinese American artists.[3]
During the Chinese New Year celebration each year, a Lantern Festival is held at the museum, featuring live entertainment, including lion dancers, acrobatics, musical, Chinese knotting, and dance performances.[7] "Long Story Short", a documentary on actress Jodi Long's family, was shown at the 8th Annual festival which was held on February 7, 2009.[8] The 2013 Lantern Festival was held Saturday, March 2, 2013, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Each year, the museum sponsors the annual Historymakers Awards Banquet, which "honors extraordinary individuals who have made a significant impact or contribution towards the advancement of the Chinese American community and beyond." A 2009 honoree was Lisa Lu (Chinese: 盧燕), Chinese-American actress and documentary producer for excellence in film and entertainment.[9]
No. | Date | Visionary | Lifetime Achievement | Arts & Entertainment | Individual | Corporate | Justice & Leadership | Community & Giving | President | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 (1997) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> — | < | --Arts--> — | Charles Woo | < | --Corp--> — | Hon. March Fong Eu | < | --Phil--> — | < | --Pres--> — | |||||
Peter Woo | Hon. Matthew Fong | ||||||||||||||||||
J. Paul Getty Trust | Larry Wong | ||||||||||||||||||
2 (1998) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> Dan Louie Jr., Ph.D. | < | --Arts--> Bessie Loo | Cathay Bank | < | --Corp--> — | < | --Ldrs--> — | Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association | < | --Pres--> — | |||||
Iris Chang | Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association | ||||||||||||||||||
3 (1999) | — | Albert Quon | Michelle Kwan | Charles Sie | — | — | Friends of the Chinatown Library | — | |||||||||||
4 (2000) | — | You Chung Hong | Joan Chen | Gareth Chang | Chinese Historical Society of Southern California | — | Deborah Ching | — | |||||||||||
5 (2001) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> Billy Lew | Nancy Kwan | < | --Indi--> — | < | --Corp--> — | < | --Ldrs--> Hon. Ronald S.W. Lew | < | --Phil--> — | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
Tyrus Wong | |||||||||||||||||||
6 (2002) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> Gerald Jann | < | --Arts--> — | < | --Indi--> Steven Chu | < | --Corp--> — | < | --Ldrs--> Hon. Delbert Wong | < | --Phil--> Dolores Wong | < | --Pres--> — | |||
Bing Liu | |||||||||||||||||||
Caroline Hsu | |||||||||||||||||||
7 (2003) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> Munson A. Kwok, Ph.D. | < | --Arts--> Jackie Chan | Dominic Ng | < | --Corp--> — | < | --Ldrs--> Gilbert Cedillo | < | --Phil--> Dr. Annie Chin Siu | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
< | --Indi--> Peter Paanakker Estate | ||||||||||||||||||
< | --Ldrs--> Henry C. Lee, Ph.D. | ||||||||||||||||||
Lisa See | |||||||||||||||||||
8 (2004) | < | --Visi--> Leroy & Carol Baca | < | --Life--> Wilbur Woo | < | --Arts--> — | < | --Indi--> — | < | --Corp--> — | Antonio Villaraigosa | < | --Phil--> — | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
Debra W. Yang | |||||||||||||||||||
9 (2005) | Joseph and Betty Wong | William Chun-Hoon | Andrew and Peggy Cherng | Kenjohn Wang | — | Lucille Roybal-Allard | — | — | |||||||||||
data-sort-value="999" | No. ! | data-sort-value="2099-12-31" | Date | data-sort-value="zzz" | Visionary | data-sort-value="zzz" | Lifetime Achievement | data-sort-value="zzz" | Arts & Entertainment | data-sort-value="zzz" | Individual | data-sort-value="zzz" | Corporate | data-sort-value="zzz" | Justice & Leadership | data-sort-value="zzz" | Community & Giving | data-sort-value="zzz" | President |
10 (2006) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> Robert and Edith Jung | Tim Dang | < | --Indi--> — | < | --Corp--> — | < | --Ldrs--> Assy. Judy Chu | < | --Phil--> Rev. Dr. Hoover Wong | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
C.Y. Lee | |||||||||||||||||||
11 (2007) | < | --Visi--> Lai Y. Lillian Lee Jang | < | --Life--> Southern California Council of Chinese School | < | --Arts--> — | < | --Indi--> — | < | --Corp--> Southern California Edison | John Chiang | < | --Phil--> — | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
Stewart Kwoh, Esq. | |||||||||||||||||||
12[10] (2008) | < | --Visi--> — | < | --Life--> — | < | --Arts--> Arthur Dong | < | --Indi--> Lisa Ling | < | --Corp--> Union Bank of California | < | --Ldrs--> — | Jim Tsai | < | --Pres--> — | ||||
Pacific Alliance Medical Center, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||||
13[11] (2009) | Jean Bruce Poole | — | Lisa Lu | — | — | Matthew Lin | Paul Tea | — | |||||||||||
14[12] (2010) | Kong Chow Benevolent Association | Dr. S.Y. Wong | — | Blake Chow | Avery Dennison | — | Dr. Tim Siu | — | |||||||||||
15[13] (2011) | Gin D. Wong, FAIA | — | — | Hwei Chih Cheng Sun | Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California | — | The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles | — | |||||||||||
16[14] (2012) | Latham & Watkins, LLP | Chinese American Citizens Alliance | — | — | Tom McKernan & The Automobile Club of Southern California | Carol Liu | Carl K. Moy, MD | — | |||||||||||
17[15] (2013) | Kin Hui | Charles W. Wong | David Henry Hwang | — | — | Michael F. Eng | Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment | — | |||||||||||
18[16] (2014) | Ming Hsieh | David Fon Lee | — | Kenneth Chin-Ming Lo | Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary | Dr. James Bok Wong and Betty KC Yeow | Board of Directors, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals | — | |||||||||||
19[17] (2015) | Greg Penske | Jeffrey G. Chan | — | Paula Madison | Enterprise Rent-A-Car | — | Dr. Ina Chan Un Chan, BBS | — | |||||||||||
data-sort-value="999" | No. ! | data-sort-value="2099-12-31" | Date | data-sort-value="zzz" | Visionary | data-sort-value="zzz" | Lifetime Achievement | data-sort-value="zzz" | Arts & Entertainment | data-sort-value="zzz" | Individual | data-sort-value="zzz" | Corporate | data-sort-value="zzz" | Justice & Leadership | data-sort-value="zzz" | Community & Giving | data-sort-value="zzz" | President |
20[18] (2016) | Susanna & Evans Lam | Bill Imada | Fresh Off the Boat | Gang Ding | — | Kent Wong | Esther Woo Jan | — | |||||||||||
21[19] (2017) | Assy. Ed Chau | Dunson K. Cheng | Milton Quon | — | Nissan North America Inc. | T.G. Wing Chow, M.D. | Leo Chu | — | |||||||||||
22[20] (2018) | Winston and Joanne Young | Dr. Kang L. Wang | — | — | Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco | Los Angeles Chinatown Corporation | Hong Kong Schools Alumni Federation Scholarship Foundation | — | |||||||||||
23[21] (2019) | Elizabeth Yang | Suellen Cheng | — | — | Morning Light Foundation | Linda Liu Sun | Linda Moy | Doré Hall Wong | |||||||||||
24[22] (2020) | Judge Dolly Gee | Helen Zia | — | Mei Wah Lau | Los Angeles Times | Hilda Solis | — | Jim Jang | |||||||||||
Asian American Journalists Association–LA Chapter | Renee Tajima-Peña |