Museum of Chinese in America

I brought my two kids here for the Mid-Autumn Festival and Dragon Boat Festival events, and we had such a great time! Everything was super well organized, and there were so many fun, hands-on activities that really tied into the culture. My son especially loved making zongzi and building his own little dragon boat—he was so into it! I haven’t had a chance to explore the museum itself yet, but I really appreciate how they connect with the community and offer these kinds of events. It’s such a great way for families to learn and have fun together!

The MOCA is a small museum that spreads over a single floor. It is free to enter. The museum has several sections, vast majority of it capturing the historical aspects of Chinese America. There’s also parts that highlights Chinese arts and literature. We were also lucky to be in the museum a band was performing in front section of the museum. The museum takes about 30-45 minutes to explore. There’s a stairway to lower floor that has restrooms and a hangout spot. While exploring the museum, I learned few things about the Chinese New Year, the rise of Chinese restaurant and laundry businesses in America.

As a Gen X American-born Chinese, growing up what representation I had was minimal and all but universally problematic. Having a museum like this is so important to give voice to our experience and to those who came to the US before us. Though small, it’s very well done with three gallery spaces plus an immersive space set up like shops, using a range of media, including actual items, portrait photos, images of historical documents, poetry, video, biographical snippets of notable Chinese in American, individual stories, audio, video, original texts, timelines, and narrative. Most is bilingual. The spaces are thoughtfully laid out and the exhibits are engagingly designed. The American narrative about the Chinese experience has been and still is too often about oppression or geopolitics, with no space made for narratives of strength, innovation, or contribution. This museum provides instead an accessible yet rich tapestry of information that articulates our agency within the power structures of the US. Yes, we are both the actor and the acted upon. The way the main exhibit presents photos and brief bios of how individuals were pioneers in their field in chronological order, placed among other contemporaneous information and artifacts, gave me a contextualized sense of these individuals that you can’t get from the random AAPI Heritage Month profiles which is where most of us get some exposure to notable Chinese American figures. I also appreciate that it situated the Chinese American story in the wider context of other peoples of America.

Such a great museum that is super underrated. Really well laid out exhibits and so interesting. The staff were so accommodating too (allowed me to charge my phone while I looked around). Really interesting and not busy at all - would definitely recommended.

What originally began as the New York Chinatown History Project, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is now a national cultural and history museum that is recognized as one of America's Cultural Treasures! The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is dedicated to preserving, illuminating, and celebrating the rich history and contributions of Chinese in America. You can see this throughout the museums with their permanent and temporary exhibitions. Their permanent exhibition, "With a Single Step: Stories in the Making of America", you can read the stories of Chinese experience in America, spanning over 200 years in history! Not just stories, but you can see several of the original artifacts and listen to the multimedia displays. Their temporary exhibitions, "Magazine Fever: Gen X Asian American Periodicals", gives us an insight on how Asian American identity has transformed. From political agitation to a recognized demographic, my friends and I learned more about the struggles of our ancestors and heritage. If you ever have the chance to stop by, feel free to try the "Citizenship Exam" that was given to the Chinese back in the days. See if you can pass the citizenship test as they could.

Great visit. There is a lot of history on Asian culture. Found a book that was on my list to buy. Big plus.

My wife and I visited here as it directly connects to her PhD dissertation examining Chinese immigrants to the US-Mexico borderlands in the early twentieth century. It’s a lovely museum with a welcoming staff. In addition to their main exhibit about Chinese in the Americas, they have an exhibit about Gen X Chinese-Americans and magazine culture. A great space to learn with materials including captioned images, three-dimensional objects, first-person narratives about historic figures, oral histories, re-created spaces, and more. Highly recommend visiting to learn more, especially for those with a passion for history.

Fantastic museum. Saw the magazine exhibit here which we thought was superb; the permanent exhibit focused more on general history was also very engaging with a variety of media and information. Many ways to engage as a viewer! The room set up as a shop with the audio was my favorite.

My wife and I visited here as it directly connects to her PhD dissertation examining Chinese immigrants to the US-Mexico borderlands in the early twentieth century. It's a lovely museum with a welcoming staff. In addition to their main exhibit about Chinese in the Americas, they have an exhibit about Gen X Chinese-Americans and magazine culture. A great space to learn with materials including captioned images, three-dimensional objects, first-person narratives about historic figures, oral histories, re-created spaces, and more. Highly recommend visiting to learn more, especially for those with a passion for history.

I've lost count of how many times I've visited the museum throughout the years! Back in the days we had to pay an entrance fee, and now it's free for all. The exhibits in one of the halls change regularly, but I really love the permanent exhibition. Their events are also very low-cost and fun. The Lunar New Year event, for example, was only $5 per person, but it's much better organized than the event at the Met and the Brooklyn Museum, both of which charge much higher entrance fees.

Excellent and fascinating museum, and free to boot! It's well-organized, and has many interesting (and often heart-breaking) stories and historical objects. I especially found the section on racist imagery in popular entertainment (both overt and more subtle) quite compelling. Just as with pretty much all minorities in America, the struggles and hardships that immigrant Chinese and Chinese-American citizens were numerous, but how we've faced and overcome those challenges is always inspiring. I'm really glad we decided to visit!

This is a beautiful museum! When I visited, admission was free! There was also a tour guide who was very knowledgeable. I also wandered off on my own to read the plaques and look closely at more exhibits. It's a small museum, but rich in content. There's a lot of information about the history of Chinese immigrants in America. Of course, there's a lot of info about NYC, but I also learned about history I wasn't aware of in other states, like in the Midwest. They also had a temporary exhibit for #StopAsianHate during the COVID-19 pandemic. There's a mix of historical artifacts, art, and literature here.

For some reason I couldn't find this museum when researching things to do in or near Chinatown. I only found it on Google Maps when I was going somewhere else but I'm glad I did. Normally there's an admission fee but when I went, admission was free because of a donation to the museum from Mackenzie Scott. The museum started off with exhibits about the history of Chinese in New York beginning 200+ years ago. It went through the timeline that included the Chinese Exclusion Act, the opium trade, the rise of Chinese-owned laundromats, and chop sueys. The next exhibit laid out all the famous and influential Chinese and Chinese American figures in different categories such as music, technology, science, and medicine. Another smaller exhibit was about the fire in NY Chinatown in January 2020 that destroyed thousands of artifacts that belonged to the museum. It went into detail about the tireless work to preserve and recover them. I asked a volunteer and she mentioned that although there's no confirmed cause to the fire, speculation is that the cause was from a spark on the stove as the building also housed elderly folks. The reason for the admission being free was the special exhibit Responses: Asian American Voices Resisting the Tides of Racism. This was about the racism throughout history towards all Asians including the increase in anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a great exhibit that I hope brings awareness to the public of the suffering that Asian Americans have endured for centuries. As a Chinese American and child of immigrants this museum really hit home and spoke to me. It's not a big museum or as well-known as others in New York but it's very clean with nice facilities and I still spent 1.5 hours here. There's a lot of good stuff in such a small space and I'd come visit even if I had to pay.

First visit here since before the pandemic. New York City was the epicenter of the pandemic in March 2020, with this museum like others, forced to close. Hours are now Sunday 11-6, Closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Thursday 11-9. Friday and Saturday 11-6. We were prepared to show our Reciprocal Museum app for free entry. Apparently for the time being there is no admission fee, but there is a clear donation box at the entrance. A donation is encouraged and appreciated. Much of the new exhibits focus on the anti Chinese rhetoric and actions during the pandemic. There are several posters and paintings defending the Chinese Americans, particularly against rhetoric blaming the Chinese-Americans for spreading the coronaviruses. Going back to the 19th century there are several drawings and paintings depicting naval battles at Chinese seaports. Posters show anti Chinese riots in the far West over Chinese railroad laborers. There is a picture of a pistol with figures of Chinese men on the barrel. More pictures show a dance show at a New York Chinese restaurant in the late 1950s, along with some of the local Chinese celebrities. One poster shows the Detroit auto workers who, without provocation, killed Vincent Chin with a baseball bat, along with the judge who let them off without jail time. On a more personal note, several of my senior Chinese tennis friends have asked me to be aware of physical attacks on Asian seniors, particularly in San Francisco's Chinatown. I did talk to the staff about my background, and how my late parents immigrated from Shanghai by boat in 1948 to California, with my late father being a graduate student, and becoming a Professor at UC Berkeley, and teaching there for 40 years. One of the staff was from Singapore and recommended the Killiney restaurant in Palo Alto, not far from my Sunnyvale residence. They gave me a map of New York's Chinatown and a beautiful sturdy shopping bag with the Chinese Museum theme to take home. I recently needed it and looked for it, but my wife had squirreled it away and forgotten where she put it!

MOCA is a small museum located in Chinatown NYC. It is not big but it does tell a story of the Chinese immigrants in NYC. You need about 1 hour to 1.5 hours to see everything here. Admission is free. We managed to get a few cool photos with the artifacts. The most cool picture taking area is at the Chinese medicine shop. This museum is definitely worth visiting.

The museum is conveniently located near Mulberry street, not far from it's previous location that was destroyed in a fire. Admission is free for the time being, making it a perfect place to visit if you're in Chinatown and want to learn a bit of history. Their Responses exhibit focuses on the Stop Asian Hate movement, and the catalysts that prompted it. It covers the modern day Asian American experience, as well as America's xenophobic political past and treatment of immigrants. There other exhibits have a vast amount of information on how the Chinese arrived and New York city, their struggle in the entertainment industry, and various business ventures that allowed them to survive. It takes about an hour to go through the museum, more if you take the time to read all the information (I personally just snap pictures to read up on later).

Great free museum in Chinatown. Worth visiting to learn more about the history of Chinese in America.

It was raining hard. The man at the door kindly helped me put my umbrella into a plastic bag. He totally did not need to do that, but he did. Such a kind man! Unfortunately, I walked here and my shoes scraped the back of my feet because they are not good shoes. So I was injured, hurt, and needed a bandaid! (Not a serious medical emergency, please don't worry.) because of that, I couldn't finish my visit and had to cut it short. I asked the staff if they had spare bandaids and they graciously brought some out for me. They helped me so much because I could barely walk. I am coming here to give a s/o to them for their kindness and willingness to help. They did not have to help me but they did. And I was grateful. Will come back again to actually finish my visit, and write an actual review about the museum :)

MOCA is located in Chinatown, NYC. This is the new location and it's very modern and you can tell well funded as well. It's FREE to get into by the way so no harm in visiting if you're in the area. Each exhibit shows different aspects of Chinese American history with artifacts and photos all from the corresponding historical era. Be prepared to READ a lot when you visit here. It's good know the history of any culture in general and MOCA does a great job of displaying all that. They have some live events on certain days, it wasn't there when I went though. They have more modern exhibits as well that deal with current events like the Asian hate crimes that were happening in 2021 for example. Not sure if that was a permanent exhibit or just a temp one. Overall, I would say just take your time and it really absorb all the history and culture that the museum is trying to teach you. Worth visiting while you're in Chinatown!

From the outside it looked closed but went in. Museum turned out to be smaller than I thought it would be. Staff is friendly. Price is free to see. Very in depth history about the timeline of Chinese in America. Smelled weird throughout the whole museum , like it was not well ventilated or cleaned. Like old musty paint. Would I come all the way from a far place to come here ? No. But if it is within a 20 minute walk or you are in the area definitely worth a visit. Educational and cool to see.

Currently free admission! Great place to visit to learn about history that has often been overlooked and rarely discussed! If you're a quick browser, you can look through everything within 30 minutes. 2 hours if you are someone who likes to really take their time to peruse and read every text under the item displayed! Bathrooms (located below) are also super clean and quiet!

Despite there being a bunch of protestors outside, staff handled the situation very professionally and kindly, willing to offer us shelter from the streets and even offer a different entrance and exit. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, they were so kind- sharing us their struggle, personal stories, and the effect those crowds have had on them, as well as explaining the protestor's perspective. They ended up giving us water and snacks as well as we waiting for them to leave. On the exhibits itself, as an Asian American, I can say that I felt represented, seen, and was almost brought to tears by the personal stories written on the walls. I felt as though all the information was accurate and unbiased, truly telling the story of Asian immigrants in the United States. Thank you so much MOCA staff for a wonderful experience!

Non-Asian Americans have always discriminated against Chinese people, particularly Chinese men, since the dawn of this country...the displays serve to prove it with so many displays. The museum also showcases so many contributions to this country despite the overwhelming racism towards us. The museum is very clean and well run. I will be returning with more of my Asian friends to show how much we've done for the US and yet, are still viewed with suspicion.

This museum is able to tell the stories of so many of the Chinese immigrants that first came over to America in a way that evokes feelings of a real connection to that person. There are some parts of the museum that break your heart but other areas celebrate the achievements of the Chinese community in America including many of the rights they fought for which extended to other minorities as well. It was amazing to see all the donated photos, notes, and journals from the families of those who are featured in the museum. The entry price is pretty reasonable for this smaller museum - $12 general admission and $8 for the likes of students, seniors, children, etc. We were particularly fortuitous since admission was free to everyone on Chinese New Year. We probably spent about an hour here but we didn't read all of the signage and walked through a few of the rooms. There are tours available and you can ask staff for more information on certain items they have like the clothing press they have which would take a bit more time.

This is a museum about the Chinese experience in America. Basically, you learn about how much America sucks and how much Chinese people have contributed while living here. "This is America!" - Chinese Gambino. I'd give yourself an hour to get through the rooms. It's small, made up of eight or nine little parts, but there's a lot of information and items to take in. There's also a gift shop on the first floor, a cafe and bathrooms downstairs, and a special exhibit that shouldn't take longer ten minutes on the first floor. They also have Cantonese boot camp classes every Sunday 12-2, and walking tours! The topics cover allies and enemies, their work in restaurants and laundromats, Chinese New Year, their role in building railroads and the war, Chinatown and surrounding Chinese communities, immigration laws, and the cuisine. Tip: get free passes from the library! Reserve online and it's really easy to use them. The cashier who checked us in was really sweet and helpful.

Kudos to the MOCA team for the amazing production and success of this immersive show "Double Happiness". You guys made me come into laughter and tears and go home with a full belly! The show is all about a wedding banquet in Chinese tradition in America. From the moment I walked into the museum for the show, I totally forgot I was in a performance. I was completely immersed in the merry spirit and hearty hospitality from everyone. I chatted with the parents of the bride and groom in the museums before the ceremony, made new friends at the dinner table, and enjoyed a delicious 10-course dim sum meal. Everything is so real as from the real weddings I have joined from my Chinese American friends here. Of course, the dramas are surreal, but they are all about what's in the cultural collisions in the Chinese' lives in America. So many times, I have been thinking of living in this new country without my Chinese label, and without any label, if possible. It's because sometimes, or most of the time, it's sort of chaotic, contradictory, and complicated to be Chinese. And sometimes, I have been thinking of maybe hiding in some other cultures for some simplicity, lightheartedness, and tranquility, such as the Japanese wabi-sabi or French je-ne-sais-quoi. But I know the hide can only be temporary because the vibes of being a Chinese have already been embedded in my soul and it will come to resonate whenever, with the waves of dragon and lion dances, the loudness of the A major tunes, and wearing red and gold boldly to celebrate......as well as the moment when the bride and groom had heated and emotional arguments with their moms in the two different corners of the room, which is the most intense scene of the entire show. But right before the moment that my tears came down, I got cracked up - the grandma of the bride sitting at the next table just turned to me, smiling and saying "eat, eat, eat!". Yeah, you guys are so innovative, smart, and sophisticated to perfectly show me the simple and joyful side of being a Chinese with this show - love is a mystery and life is hard, but you always have your family on your back and delicious food is all you need to go through everything. It's that simple, and it's that joyful. Thank you all again for this amazing show and thank you for your hard work and creativity to make me so proud of living this Chinese American life. And last but not least, a big shout to Nancy Yao! What a pleasant surprise to find out that the largest drama queen of the show is also the president of MOCA! I am a big fan of you now, and you all, without a doubt.

I'm boycotting. The city bought the museum it's building and now they are silent regarding the tallest jail in the world being built in Chinatown. I have been to the museum the the past. I won't be giving them my money.

I enjoyed this today. As previous noted, it is a small museum. The offer a discount to seniors so our entry fee was only $5. What a deal, donate the discount. People were pleasant and explained that the museum was started when many of the merchants were losing their lease and had many artifacts that they were getting rid of. There was a very interesting display of paper art done by prisoners/refugees who where arrested when their boat ran aground, a story of people escaping for a better life. One of the other displays was of notable Chinese, very impressive. I love the interiors, even the bathroom was nice. Take the time to visit this gem of a museum.

I heard about this Museum from a friend here in Hawaii, it's a long way from Hawaii. Very interesting to me since I am Chinese and my Grandfather immigrated to Hawaii before it was taken over by the U.S. Very fascinating to see how the different paths to America were achieved, from the East Coast, Ellis Island, West Coast Angel Island, and all ports in between. The displays of discrimination were very sobering and the perseverance of the immigrants very inspiring. The display when we visited was on a food display and how the different areas created dishes that not only were easily found in the locality but changed some of the food to make it more palatable for the locals. It's a really small Museum but full of information, they also have a whole department that does more research and gathering of more exhibits. When I got home to Hawaii, I ended up sending books and more information on my family for them to use in the museum. Please give them a visit if you are in New York.

My husband and I were in NYC during Lunar New Year and wanted to take advantage of some festivities in China Town. During a search for events, we found that the MOCA was having a celebration, complete with Lion Dance, snacks, and cultural music and dance performances. I contacted some family who live in Long Island to see if they would like to join us at MOCA for the day. They had never celebrated the Lunar New Year in China Town and were excited to experience something new. So I went on to the MOCA website and bought tickets for us at $12 each. We got to the museum about a half hour early to secure good spots on the street for the dance. Unfortunately the dance was performed on the sidewalk in front of the museum, which meant all the attendees had to view from the edges of the sidewalk and/or from the street. There was a huge crowd that assembled - possibly a lot more people than MOCA expected, and they put a few orange cones and a rope on the street so traffic could still pass, but so there was still room for attendees to safely stand. It was not the best set up for shorter people/kids to view, but I don't think they ever experienced such a turn out! (It was a sunny winter day, but not too cold). The Lion Dance was fantastic. It lasted about 20 minutes. There were people in traditional costumes playing drums, an actor in a costume who was 'taming' the lion, and two guys in a beautiful lion costume. We all really enjoyed it. After the dance, the website had promised cultural performances inside. But the line to get inside the museum was so long, we ended up waiting outside for over an hour, even though we had bought advance tickets!! The museum was a max capacity, and the staff and volunteers had no choice but to keep 'excess' people outside until people inside chose to leave, due to fire safety code. When we finally did get inside, we were directed to get our hands stamped in case we wanted to leave in between performances. We did that and then were directed downstairs to the classroom space for the performances. We assumed that our advance tickets gave us guaranteed access to the events, or at least some kind of priority seating, but neither were true. There were so many events going on inside (including lots of things for children - face painting, crafts, story telling), that they couldn't know what each attendee wanted to do....so....you were supposed to sign up for 'tickets' at a table on the top floor, and then once your name was on the list, you would be granted access. However, the crowds were so big on the top floor that you couldn't even see the desk, so we went directly downstairs to where the snacks were, oblivious to the fact that the classrooms spaces were very small and we were not on any lists! As the time for the traditional dancing performance got closer, we realized we did not have 'tickets'. So I went upstairs to see what to do, got us listed on a waiting list, and went back downstairs to share the bad news that after waiting an hour to get in, and another hour for the dancing to start, we probably were not getting in to the events. We ate some dumplings and cookies and pondered what to do next. It was very warm downstairs with all the people, and very noisy and crowded. But we all agreed we had invested this much time, we would hang around a bit more. And we got lucky! There was just enough room inside the classroom for those of us on the waiting list to stand in the back row to watch. The dancing was amazing: four kinds of traditional dances, with music and explanations. Loved it! It ended with about 20 min to wait for the next performance, so we all went upstairs to get some air. Back down to again wait and see if we could get in to the second performance which was cultural music. By this time, a lot of people had left the museum, so we more easily got in to the concert, where two musicians played traditional and modern tunes on the pipa and erhu instruments. We watched that, waited again for the final event, which we also got into, and then enjoyed a lesson in ribbon dancing (which was really aimed for kids, but which was enjoyable nonetheless). Overall we spent 4 hours at the museum, from the Lion Dance outside to the fascinating performances. There were snacks and art exhibits to distract you in between events. And even though at first we felt very stressed with what appeared to be lack of organization and overcrowding, we thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this event and the museum - but buy your tickets online, go early and be patient.

I came here for free with the culture pass through my NY library card! The museum is small but packs in a lot of information, it can be done in an hour or two depending on how much you choose to read. I think any museum that covers the history of a certain ethnicity in America is going to deal with oppression and the museum covers the Opium Wars, yellow face, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad, the creation of Chinatown's and how the Chinese made a living in the restaurant and laundry industries. There is an 8 pound iron you can lift to see just how grueling the work in a laundromat was. A rousing account from Hazel Lee, a woman WWII air force pilot was one of my favorite interactive pieces. There are heartbreaking poems written all over the walls. I only started to become interested in history as I got older and I wish the overarching theme of America both being built by immigrants and abusing them was made more transparent. There's a reason it's not, and museums like this help fill in those gaps with essential information.

I stumbled upon this while in Chinatown. I am always interested in learning about Chinese immigrants lives. Only $10 admission. An overall exhibit of prominent Chinese Americans which i thought was okay. But I enjoyed the temp exhibit (which is now over) about the two men who started a store and medical office in Oregon. There were testimonials and artifacts from the store. It was amazing to read about some Westerners who gravitated towards Eastern medicine because of these two men. One spoke English well. They had professional business calling cards, ads and labels on the medicine bottles. There was another exhibit about Chinese medicine. A small but powerful museum. I look forward to seeing what other exhibits will be coming in the figure. Please stop by if you are in the area!

This place was so much fun! Nestled in Chinatown, I was super excited to check it out. The museum itself isn't big. There's an audio tour on the website that you can listen to as you browse the exhibit. I loved the interactivity of the exhibit, from the photos, displays to the writings on the wall. It was both insightful and heartbreaking to learn about the struggles of immigrant families settling into America. The little souvenir shop at the end was also a great touch. Can't deny that I got a few things, heh!

This is a gem of a museum in New York. Small but very well curated and organized, it is an admirable tribute to a ethnic group that has contributed to the fabric of New York and American culture. There is a natural flow to the museum, and you pass through different displays that highlight the origins, growth, struggles, successes, and even failures of the Chinese people. There is a certain chronology as you pass from room to room, but it's also possible to wander randomly through the museum, reading the individual stories of the people represented here. When we came here, there was a fascinating display of artistic representations of foods prepared by Asian-American chefs from across the nation. Each plate was essentially two works of art - the food and the story of the chefs coupled with the ceramic creation of another artist. It was fascinating to move from place setting to place setting and learning of the inspiration and innovation of these culinary masters. This is truly a fine museum and is worth a visit. After leaving, you can indulge yourself in more of America's cultural diversity as you wander the streets and absorb the smells of the lively Little Italy neighborhood.

A very inexpensive and interesting museum to go to. It is a smaller museum but they make good use of the space they have. Though it is a little on the small side of things this museum shows early depictions of Chinese in American culture, showing civil rights movements, rotating exhibits, films and an area showing off an old Chinese Merchants house in America. I feel there is a good mix of both positive and informative examples of Chinese American achievements here and the showing off the negative, racist depictions of Chinese that have existed in America's consciousness. You get all of this for a very good price as well. The place is only 10 dollars and if your like me and have an NYCID card you can actually get a one year membership for free. This is regardless if you got your card this year or any other year so this could be a free place to New York City dwellers! Its a great museum and I highly recommend people donating money to it. Even if you get the free membership I would say use the 10 dollars you have to donate because they give you some small goodies if you do (one of which is a interesting locations map of the Chinatown region.)

Impressive permanent exhibit that you can check out after dim sum in the area. Only $10 admission, or if you are frugal, go for free admission on Thursdays 6-9pm. Love that it's such a hidden gem, and not very touristy, so you can enjoy the museum in peace. The permanent exhibit focuses a lot on the racism aspects that Chinese immigrants and residents faced while living in the US. I like that there are lots of interactive portions, as well as hidden drawers that open up to more things to look at. The temp exhibit (Sour Sweet Bitter Spicy) was pretty cool - they interviewed various Chinese American chef/restaurant success stories. In one of the rooms they have 45m-1h long recordings of interviews for each of the chefs/entrepeneurs, which you can end up spending a long time even just skimming through. Along with the temp exhibit, i spent about 2.5 hours at the MOCA. Well worth the trip if you have the time.

I learned so much than I realized! I only knew a bit of the history how did Chinese people came to US but there are more than it said in us history class when I was young kid. I learned so much to see how our ancestors did for us which we are the future generations. We definitely have to thank them for working so hard and went thru the hell. I cannot imagine how much hardships they went thru. After I went to this museum and it changed me a bit. I came out with more knowledge about my heritage than before. Thank you!!!

Free and open on Saturdays only. Just walk in. Only a few exhibits. You can learn about the discrimination and experience Chinese immigrants faced in America. A few artifacts to look at. Spend about 1-1.5 hours here easily. Bathrooms downstairs. Cool gift shop set up in the front.

This is truly an extraordinary museum. As a Chinese-American, the one word that best describes this space to me is HOME. It is a sacred safe haven for the experiences of deep pain, marginalization, and exclusion suffered by Chinese people in America--both US citizens and those in the US who were expressly forbidden from becoming citizens. It carries on the stories of those who were silenced. The museum is organized chronologically starting with the very first documented Chinese people to the US (unclear if they are voluntary immigrants or were forced--an important distinction!) It then takes you through the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Civil Rights Era, and the immigration reform of 1965. You will learn about the model minority myth, the mysticism of Chinese Americans (fu manchu, lady dragon), and the utter fiction of chop suey. At the beginning of each section, there are poems on the walls that set the tone for the exhibit. The most memorable part of the museum is being able to feel the actual weight of an 8-lbs iron typically used by Chinese Americans who operated laundromats. Visitors are able to feel the literal and metaphorical weight of the painstaking work it took for for a marginalized class of citizens to barely scrape by. My only recommendation is that the long panels of small text describing other laws and legal cases (Loving v. Virginia, Yick Wo v. Hopkins) should be spaced out and made more legible. These other laws and cases demonstrate how the pathway to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were made exceedingly difficult for Chinese Americans even after they were granted citizenship. Although the museum is pretty small, there is still a lot of information to learn. I highly recommend this museum to native New Yorkers and visitors alike. I truly think that anyone visiting Chinatown is doing a disservice to themselves and to the history and residents of Chinatown if they do not stop by MOCA.

Great museum. More of a history exhibit rather than any artifacts. Nicer than expected. Not too far from Grand St station. Would recommend

A community of Chinese immigrant workers, professionals, students from the community and beyond have maintained a 5-day a week protest in front of MOCA since 2021 for taking $35M from the City as jail concession (silence/support) for the passage of the Borough Based Jail Plan. Chinatown will have a mega jail after demolishing the existing 40 year old jail, already one of the newest jails. Please don't cross the picket line. Institutions need to be accountable to the people they claim to serve.

I think this museum is a hidden gem of New York that more folks need to check out. Located in Little Italy/not too far from Chinatown, the MOCA is a small museum that took me about 1.5-2 hrs to explore and was definitely worth the $5 entrance fee. I came not knowing what to expect and found myself crying in certain exhibits that seemed very timely in today's day and age. The museum goes through a timeline of Chinese in American since they first stepped foot in the USA as immigrants and the experiences/discrimination they experienced and overcame up until today. Filled with historical artifacts, artwork, and information, I came out learning so much about Chinese American history. It may seem smaller than most NYC museums but it is well curated and organized. They do a great job with the arrangement of the information and displays. I came out also learning about what has been left out of American history. I really recommend this museum if you want to get a different take on American history and narratives. Staff was also incredibly friendly! I think how personable and welcoming they were was a great touch. All in all, check this museum out!

I highly recommend taking a visit to MOCA while you're in NYC. I went to MOCA on a Sunday afternoon, on the last day of their FOLD special exhibit (closed as of March 25, 2018). Their permanent exhibit narrates the history of Chinese immigrants, from approximately 1850s to present day. It is in chronological order and is filled with policies and laws relating to immigration as well as creative arts. It has audio-visual narratives of prominent Chinese Americans. Similiar to any immigrant story, these struggles, discriminations, and victories are relatable to any disenfranchised community (Irish, Italian, Jews, Hispanics, etc) throughout history. The exhibit is a reminder of our need to learn from our history and use our history to empathize with communities of different backgrounds. The architect of the museum is Maya Lin who received the presidential medal of freedom (highest civilian recognition) from President Obama. The exposed brick juxtaposed with sleek metal panels heightened the old history vs new life that the permanent exhibit walks you through with their chronological journey of Chinese in America. BONUS: It's only $10 with discounts for seniors, students and children!! You can't beat the price. I would definitely visit again. The new special exhibit, Chinese Medicine in America, is opening end of April 2018 through September 2018 (check the website).

I've been wanting to come to this museum for a while and finally made it here. It's only a few blocks from the subway so it's pretty convenient to get to that way. This is one of those museums where it's really up to you how long you want to spend here. It's not very big but it covers a lot and there's a lot to learn if you want to spend the time to read and go thru all of the exhibits. It basically goes through the history of the Chinese culture in America, just like it says. :). It does touch a little bit of the history of China so you can see where it all comes from. There are some very cool items on display and there is a walk thru old school Chinese shop that is pretty cool as well. There's also a gift shop which also serves as the entrance and exit so you can pick up some souvenirs afterwards. You can actually visit the store too without entering the museum. Great way to spend a few hours.

It's a pretty small museum, but they manage to pack a lot of history of the Chinese American experience here. You will learn when they started to arrive in the United States, the discrimination, and hardships they faced and how they overcame all this to be where they are today. Even if you are not Asian it is definitely worth exploring if you are in the area. I do wish it were a little bit bigger. Cost for me was $10 per ticket (as of 2018). They do have discount for Seniors and Students of only $5 and it's free on the first Thursday of the month. If you are in the Chinatown area definitely come and visit!

Fairly small museum in Chinatown about the history of the Chinese in America. There are lots of old posters, photos, documents and objects documenting their lives since their arrival in this country in the 19th century. You especially get a very good idea of the discrimination and anti-Chinese laws that were passed back in the day. I found this museum to be very informative and comprehensive with its subject matter. I came here during one of its free days (the first Thursday of every month).

This spot always puts me in my feels. Walking in & checking out the new exhibits is cool but just doing the inner loop & being reminded of all the ways Chinese have explored, been challenged, and flourished in American society throughout the centuries - despite being ignored and objectified - is huge. Knowledgeable staff, fun museum store w dope art & some cool designer toys, and a peaceful space for thought & reflection. Never disappointed to come thru & see their stories.

I'll admit, I kind of had low standards for this museum. I was presently surprised when I arrived - this place was beautiful! Actual museum is a bit small, but it's nice that you're not overwhelmed with things to look at. It provides a nice summary of the history of Chinese in America as well as famous Chinese people and inventions. I was surprised to learn of some of the things Chinese people invented.

This is a wonderful exhibition space dedicated to celebrating and honoring the contributions and struggles of Chinese Americans[1]. The space itself, truly beautiful in different shades of wood and exposed bricks, was designed by Maya Lin[2]; the façade of wood, concrete and bronze is both elegant and beautiful. The museum, which actually has a second entrance on Lafayette St., extends on two floors. The first floor is dedicated to the history and struggles of Chinese Americans, and on the second floor downstairs there is a computer room and the restrooms. At ground level you can find interactive touch screen TVs, plus a lot of notes and memorabilia, including historical film footage. I particularly enjoyed the ones about actress Anna May Wong (a personal favorite) and entrepreneur Charlie Toy, with a voiceover reading excerpts from their own writings. The part describing racial discrimination in Hollywood and in the media in the first half of the past century is powerful and chilly (and still very actual). I also learned that it was thanks to Wong Kim Ark in 1898 that the 14th amendment now extends the right of citizenship to all people born in the United States, independently of their race, color, religion, or belief. On the first floor there is also the conference room, and a large room dedicated to contemporary artists. I particularly liked a piece by Hung-Chih Peng[3]: a film shows a wall with excerpts of the Bible painted on it in Arabic translations; a dog licks off the writings, but the film is shown in reverse, so that it appears that the dog is actually writing the excerpts. I recently came here with my gf on Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year's Day for a dumpling making workshop. The workshop, which took place in the floor below street level, was a lot of fun: with the help of chef Wai Hon Chu[4], we got to make (and eat!) sticky rice dumplings stuffed with sesame paste. I also learned how the hell the soup is put inside xiao long bao[5]. Check out the gift shop: together with fun stuff like cards, paper lamps, hoodies, and tee-shirts, they also have quite a lot of books, including children books and cooking books. Free admission on Thursday. --------------------------------------------------------- [1] Btw, the term "Chinese American" was coined by writer Wong Chin Foo. [2] http://www.mayalin.com/ [3] http://www.hungchihpeng.com/ [4] http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/29463/Wai_Hon_Chu/index.aspx [5] Be nice to me and I'll tell you...

MOCA is a very intimate little museum in my old neighborhood that resonates with my life growing up in Chinatown. Each exhibit seems to poke into every little nook or cranny that was my childhood and filled in a lot of history that I was not aware of. This and the Tenement Museum has got it all covered. The history covers the immigration of Chinese during the building of the railroads, the Gold Rush, the Chinese Exclusion Act, through WWII and beyond. Many famous Chinese-Americans are showcased, but I was particularly impressed by a short film about Hazel Ying Lee, a WASP pilot flying fighter planes during WWII. There is special exhibit currently running that spotlights Chinese fashion designers like Vera Wang, Derek Lam & Vivienne Tam plus a separate exhibit showcasing early 20th century Chinese women's fashion. Though I was impressed by the many exhibits, I wish there were more of them. I would love to participate in some of their on-hands workshops.

This was one of the museums that I really wanted to try with my IDNYC card. One of the more memorable when signing up for membership was the last question as the end of the form: What is you ancestral hometown? I think what they were trying to ask was where is the furthest you can trace your roots in China. What happens if it's someone that's not Asian? Just a thought. So for my first visit to MOCA, I happened to chance upon the Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Spicy Exhibit: Stories of Chinese Food and Identity in America. The main exhibit features a giant table with fake place setting. On each setting showcases a chef and their experiences. There's also fake lazy susans that you can spin around. The most memorable part? The documentary they displayed on 3 screens while one screen explain the special exhibit. The documentary interviewed the immigrant experience, how food related to it (and believe me, food is a huge part of the experience). It was such a heartfelt exhibit. It didn't matter if you were Chinese-American or not, but it spoke a lot about the hardships of immigration, the comfort of food, and childhood memories of cooking. It's a really great exhibit and I recommend anyone to check it out before March 26, 2017. Outside that exhibit is a special Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Spicy display. It is a kitchen items and menus that I found interesting. Onward to the general collection. The general collection has a lot of information about the early Chinese Americans and their lives in America. There's even an exhibit on the old Chinese medicine shop. Kinda cool. - Bathrooms are downstairs. Clean and orderly. - There was a bubble tea plush in the store display, but I didn't see any for sale. Shucks.

The Museum of Chinese in America is an amazing place with a pretty comprehensive history of people of Chinese ancestry in the United States. This museum can help us to learn our past of struggle that has helped to bring us to where we are today. I highly recommend a visit for anyone of Chinese ancestry (or otherwise). While I was visiting there was a special display on Chinese food in America. There was a section on food utensils used by various chefs and their meanings, and there was also a section on Chinese American chefs telling some of their stories. From tv personality Martin Yan (Yan Can Cook) to home chefs who adapted their style to Southern ingredients, these chefs show that history and culture are deeply embedded in food. Other displays at MOCA include audio stories of a Chinese woman pilot serving in the military, the "chop suey circuit," and portrayals (mostly negative) of Chinese in American media. I also appreciated various short profiles of significant Chinese Americans in history that tell some of their stories. There's a nice gift shop at the museum entrance, and admission is free on the first Thursday of each month.

As someone who grew up near the Smithsonian, MOCA is now my favorite museum. The history of Chinese-Americans is often erased and overlooked, and it was so powerful to see an entire museum dedicated to this history. I cannot overemphasize how important representation is. After a lifetime of seeing no mention of people like me in textbooks, museums, and other cultural institutions, this museum brought me to tears. I noticed that while (of course) many visitors were Chinese, there was more diversity in the visitors than I expected. This is a must-see for anyone in NYC, as important as Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty.

Have you ever considered the historical story of the Chinese who immigrated to this country in the same way as the Europeans did in the 1880s and their struggle to have the American dream? In this modest museum located in Chinatown you can explore and learn about this unassuming people who's generational family lives among us today. I learned so much that I had not thought of before and would highly recommend this museum to anyone. For a $10 entry fee for adults be sure to catch the tour guide. She was so knowledgeable about the Chinese immigrants and the ongoing plight as it continues in the 1940s with Chinese food made for non-Asians, through WWII and the trials of communism. I highly recommend this museum and I left wanting to know more.

Attended a screening of the documentary The Search For General Tso, and I never felt so Asian in my entire life. On a slightly serious note, as a son of immigrant parents, it's astounding to witness the rich history of our forefathers (and foremothers) all of whom paved the way for many of us today. The undercurrent of the city, especially this way downtown, was heavily fortified by Chinese mass immigration. The museum boasts plenty of exhibits, most of which focus (or are at least accompanied by) food. And lots of it. Making this the perfect group date to cover all bases.

In between eating, I like going to museums. This one is pretty good. It gives a glimpse into some Chinese experiences in America. I'm only writing because I went on a day where there were some protesters in the front about MOCA being racist. This day an age, everyone wants to voice their subjective view onto those who don't share the same vision. Come on, the museum can't be soo inclusive with every bit of material or artifact to please EVERYONE's Asian American history. They'd need an entire NY city block to do that. People should be grateful that there is actually an establishment trying to show Chinese in America. This establishment is a non-profit, let it go. For those who feel soo strongly against them, then create your own museum in your own vision. Sometimes with these politics, it's like walking into an In & Out and demanding a ramen bowl. Some people need to chill out and have a boba.

In a city full of excellent museums, MoCA is easy to pass by, not only because it's located in the heart of Chinatown rather than the UES or Midtown, but because it's rather niche in content -- it focuses almost exclusively on the experience of Chinese-Americans throughout history (although occasionally widens the aperture to include other Asian-Americans as well as African-Americans). This museum costs just $10 ($7 with valid student ID) and takes just 60-90 minutes to go through, but it is well worth a visit, especially given how under-studied Chinese-American history is in U.S. education. It begins with Chinese immigration to America staring in the 1700s, railroad laborers and laundry workers -- all the way through to the present day, punctuated with all the discriminatory policies that the U.S. government put in place that impact the image of Asian-Americans today. Along the way, the museum also highlights notable Chinese-Americans: the individuals who innovated Bing cherries and pioneered mustard seed as a commercial crop, firsts in public service and aviation, and important accomplishments in the entertainment industry both in front of and behind the proverbial camera. I highly recommending a stop by this museum regardless of your race or age. A great way to walk off the post-Chinatown food coma!