Portland Chinatown Museum

10/10 This museum is comparable To one I have seen in big cities. Amazing!!! A lot of people try to wash away history and this is a wonderful museum To learn more about the life of Chinese American and how the laws and the exclusion laws affected them. Grateful for this museum to give me perspective in the local history. Only $8 entrance fee. And if you’re a student you get a discount

Loved this experience! I had very little knowledge of the Chinese history in Oregon (and the larger Pacific NW region) so this is very educational and informative. Really loved the Bue Kee exhibit as well. $8 entry fee, self-guided and a general overview from the attendant (who was really sweet and gave me food recommendations!). Overall, great experience and would highly recommend especially during AAPI Heritage Month.

The amount of research on display here is amazing, and it's really obvious how much the curators and volunteers care about the preservation of this part of Portland's history. The vignettes are especially cool! Budget at least an hour for a visit.

This museum was awesome! Not very big, but its exhibits were very informative and impactful. I left having learned about Chinese in Portland history and excited to learn even more. A volunteer tour guide was available to walk a few of us through the exhibits. A very welcoming staff. I suggest reserving at least an hour for your visit, to not feel rushed. Pictures inside the museum permanent exhibit is not allowed. Much like the rest of old town, there are some homeless in the area, but don't let that deter you! After your visit, enjoy a coffee across the street at Society Cafe.

An immersive experience with a theatrical set design that brings history to life through a wonderfully visual exhibit. I learned so much about the history of Chinese Americans in Portland aligned with broader trends of what was going on in Oregon and the country. I’ve also enjoyed the special exhibits and impressive performances that have been held in the space. Best of all, the staff and volunteers are incredible to interact with to hear their stories which bring history to life!

Fantastic museum highlighting the rich history of Chinese culture in Portland. Permanent collection is well displayed and gives a perspective of Portland too-often overlooked. There has been a ton of recent shows featuring contemporary artists as well as some that otherwise would have been lost to history. The neighborhood can be “lively” so be aware, but don’t let that keep you from this cultural gem!

Beautifully curated and cared for. The exhibits are thoughtful and relevant to the local community. Library and shop also highlight the people in the area. Highly recommend for every history and art enthusiast!

Excellent little museum. The guided tour was charming and the docent had personal acquaintance with family members of some of the individuals featured. He was able to give us the what became of their families that the exhibit didn't share. Authentic artifacts from earlier Chinese American businesses and a fascinating look into the lives of some of the first American Born Chinese.

This museum is really a hidden gem. If you have a few hours, it's a great way to learn about the history of Chinese Americans in Portland. They have a nice exhibit showing the early immigration of Chinese to Oregon and the evolution of Chinatown. At one time, the Portland Chinese community was one of the largest in the US. At this museum, they do an excellent job of walking through that history. Our family really enjoyed it. If you go, you should check the hours first. They're not open every day.

I felt like PCM was a little secret, just a block from the Lan Su gardens, This small but sweet museum is packed with tons of information about Portland Chinatown. Their exhibit on the early immigration of Chinese to Oregon is very well done and shouldn't be missed. At the time of my visit, I was also lucky enough to see the Wing K. Leong exhibit which included beautiful sumi paintings and calligraphy. If you're in the area, this museum should be on your radar.

America is a nation of immigrants. From the Siberia-Alaska land bridge about 13,000 years ago, Norse about 800 years ago, and the great waves enabled by Columbus about 500 years ago. About 150 years ago working class Chinese displaced by the mercantile expansion came to America too. They worked hard, mining, building our railroads, doing laundry, cooking and more. Portland once had the largest Chinatown on the West Coast. It included the current area and originally extended from Taylor to Oak and included farmers along Tanner Creek near where the Timbers stadium is now, as I learned from museum staff. There was also a Chinatown in Canyon City which was burned in 1885. But the Portland Chinatown remained vibrant until recent times. It is well documented in Sweet Cakes, Long Journey: The Chinatowns of Portland, Oregon by Marie Rose Wong. Today Americans with Chinese families live throughout the Portland metro. While there are many businesses with a Chinese and Pan-Asian focus along and beyond 82nd and in Happy Valley, there is no there there. The great ebb and flow of real estate values and suburban development has reduced values in Portland's traditional Chinatown and Japan town. And now the great real estate machine is intent on leveling our Chinatown to build up to 35 story apartment buildings. Enough of them would end the national historic district. Chinatown is critical to preserve and revitalize. This new museum is part of that process. At opening they present photographs of their first artist in residence. Next year they will open the permanent collection. And in chatting with the staff and opening attendees I received news of a teacher acquaintance passing, the most accomplished tai chi teacher in Portland, and with deep knowledge of the Chen branch, Gregory Fong. So this little spot is a social hub too. Someday we will get our national China foreign policy right and the person-to-person connections between America and China we make will be valued. Like this. This is an early review. Keep posted to what the Portland Chinatown Museum becomes!

The PCM is a hidden treasure just a block away from the Lan Su Garden in Portland. The current exhibit of Wing Leong's painting and calligraphy is a must see! You will come away with a deeper appreciation of the life an artist and business leader who really was an ambassador of Chinese art and culture for the Pacific NW. The museum's permanent collection is beautifully curated and worth a trip downtown.

I had the great pleasure of attending the opening of the exhibit "Wing K. Leong, 60 Years: Painting and Calligraphy." What a stunning presentation of Mr. Leong's impressive body of work! His meticulous skill in sumi-e painting reflects his mastery of this beautiful art. The museum's presentation was lovely, too--very inviting and nicely displayed. What a treasure! I would like to go back and see it again next time I am in Portland. Thank you for offering this incredible exhibit.

The Portland Chinatown Museum is truly a cultural treasure near downtown Portland, Oregon. I was very impressed by the rich content of their exhibitions. I enjoyed seeing the large scale 2D and 3D displays of historical stories and artifacts of early Chinese immigrants. And the other displays of the Chinese brush paintings and calligraphy of Mr. Wing K Leong were also amazingly beautiful. In addition to the original artworks, the slideshow video was also very informative and well produced. I want to mention that the museum staff was very helpful and friendly. The whole experience was super pleasant and inspirational.

Please read Robert H.'s review. It is right on point. I was very interested in the museum, especially since it included information on the Kam Wah Chung historical site in John Day. This museum is very informative and interesting.

What a lovely little gem of a place. My son and I were wandering around after visiting the Chinese garden and found this museum. We decided to go it and it was such a good experience. The docent was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed the visit very much while learning much about the Chinese culture in Portland. Definitely check it out.

Great museum! Gives comprehensive context for the Chinese community in Oregon/Portland. Susan Chang is really knowledgeable and can answer questions you may have. As someone born and raised in Portland, I'm grateful to learn more about the history!

Small but nice. I leaned many stories of early Chinese immigrants and I enjoyed it.