Exhibits Archive
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Detained at Liberty’s Door
Detained at Liberty's Door, CHSA's newest exhibit traces the formation of the Angel Island Immigration Station and highlights the inspiring story of Mrs. Lee Yoke Suey, the wife of a native-born citizen who was detained for more than 15 months on Angel Island. Only an association with one of California's most powerful & iconic families secured her freedom.
The Architecture of San Francisco’s Chinatown
The striking architecture of Chinatown is explored from its beginnings in the mid-19th century through the rebuilding following the Great Earthquake & Fire of 1906 to its presence as one of the country's most vibrant and enduring neighborhoods. Featuring an interactive walking tour map, digital images, never-before-seen etchings, and special objects, the exhibit is a thoughtful exploration into San Francisco's Chinatown.
Main Gallery Exhibit: The Chinese of America, Toward A More Perfect Union
This bilingual exhibit tells the history of Chinese Americans in the United States, documented by the large wave of immigration that began in the 19th century to the prolific presence of Chinese in American society today. Photographs and artifacts focus on the contributions made by Chinese laborers in the development of the fishing, railroad, mining, and agriculture industries in the American West.
The History of the Chinatown YWCA
In 1916, the National Board organized the first Chinese YWCA in America. From the 1930s to 1980s, the San Francisco YWCA Chinatown served as a social outlet for many Chinese American women in the community with dance lessons, cultural programs, cooking classes, youth activities, and more. Times changed in the 1960s when the Civil Rights Movement relaxed immigration laws that promoted racial equality and dramatically changed the make-up of the Chinese American community. By the 1980s, the building had become obsolete both in function & in meeting building code requirements. Faced with the high cost of retrofitting the building, the SF Board of Supervisors donated the building to a non-profit, CHSA, to house its museum.