[BCMA] Chinese Canadian Museum Invites Visitors to Come Celebrate Asian Heritage Month

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv]

For Immediate Release
 
Chinese Canadian Museum Invites Visitors to Come Celebrate Asian Heritage Month




Photo: A colourful wall mural “The Journeys Here” painted by local Chinese Canadian artist Marlene Yuen featured at the Chinese Canadian Museum. Photographer Rachel Topham.

 
Vancouver, BC (April 22, 2024) – The Chinese Canadian Museum (CCM) <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/> is inviting visitors to come celebrate Asian Heritage Month <https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month.html> at the museum, where profound Chinese Canadian stories, experiences, and unique artistic contributions are highlighted and featured.

 
Located in the historic Wing Sang Building at 51 East Pender Street in Vancouver Chinatown, the Chinese Canadian Museum provides meaningful and transformative experiences for all, connecting everyone to the diverse and eclectic stories of generations of Chinese Canadians.

 
“Asian Heritage Month is an opportune time for us to celebrate and embrace ethnic diversity, while recognizing and honouring the unique contributions of Chinese Canadians to the cultural fabric of Canada,” says Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum. “One of the museum’s goals is to serve as a platform for Chinese Canadians to share their crafts, stories and unique perspectives, to create inclusive communities and foster understanding and appreciation for different cultures and backgrounds.”

 
On Saturday, April 27th at 6 p.m., the museum is launching a new talk series, Chinese Canadian Convos, the first featuring Arlene Chan <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/chinese-canadian-convos-with-arlene-chan>, who is a writer, historian, and cultural consultant for Disney Pixar’s Turning Red movie. During this event, Arlene will be discussing cultural authenticity and representations of Chinese Canadian culture in cinema. The session also includes a special documentary screening of Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red <https://www.disneyplus.com/en-ca/movies/embrace-the-panda-making-turning-red/6UKnIo7H29f0>.

 
During the month of May which is Asian Heritage Month, CCM has commissioned local Chinese Canadian ceramic artist Freda Lin from Bad Potter Ceramics <https://www.badpotterceramics.com/> to specially design and create rice bowls which will be made available for sale at the museum.

 
CCM is also hosting special fermentation and liqueur making workshops with master distiller and fermentation specialist, Kristine Hui, who was recently featured as a contestant on Moonshiners: Master Distiller <https://www.discovery.com/shows/moonshiners-master-distiller> reality television show on the Discovery Channel. She is best known as Miss Brewbird on YouTube <https://missbrewbird.com/>, where she documents her journey making alcohol and fermented foods. In recognition of Asian Heritage Month, a selection of Asian fruits, teas, herbs and botanicals will be featured as well as other ingredients. Her workshops are scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, May 22nd from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

 
In addition, CCM is hosting special guided tours of the museum during April and May. The Paper Trail  <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/paper-trail-curators-tour>Curator’s Tour <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/paper-trail-curators-tour> with Catherine Clement is scheduled for Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. and Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m., in addition to the Wing Sang Building Tour <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/wing-sang-building-tour> (see dates <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/learn/guided-tours>).

 
Things to check out at the Chinese Canadian Museum:

●      The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/exhibitions/paper-trail-1923-chinese-exclusion-act>, the museum’s feature exhibition curated by Catherine Clement, focuses on the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Paper Trail exhibition takes an unflinching look at Canada’s exclusion years from 1923 to 1947, revealing haunting stories of loss, despair and fear, as well as powerful examples of courage and perseverance despite incredible odds.

●      The Journeys Here, a painted wall mural by Chinese Canadian artist Marlene Yuen, highlighting Chinese Canadian journeys and experiences past to present.

●      Odysseys and Migration <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/exhibitions/odysseys-and-migration>, an exhibition in the introduction gallery space exploring the Chinese diaspora from the early waves to present day.

●      Period Rooms: Historic School Room & Living Room <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/exhibitions/yip-sang-period-rooms>, a recreated school classroom from 1914 and a 1930s period living room with interactive antique objects that bring visitors back in time to when the original Wing Sang Building owner, Yip Sang, and his family lived in Chinatown.

●      Embracing Diversity, a commissioned art sculpture piece by Musqueam artist Susan Point and her son Thomas Cannell to honour the strong connection and the historical ties of the Indigenous peoples and early Chinese migrants in Canadian history.

 

For more event details and background on the museum’s exhibitions, visit www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca <http://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/>
 
About the Chinese Canadian Museum | chinesecanadianmuseum.ca <https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/>
The Chinese Canadian Museum Society of British Columbia is an independent, non-profit organization established in March 2020 to create a museum honouring and sharing Chinese Canadian history, contributions, and living heritage. Guided by its mission statement “Connecting to the Chinese Canadian story – addressing inclusion for all”, the Chinese Canadian Museum aspires to provide an invigorating and transformative experience for present and future generations through its exhibitions and educational programming throughout B.C. and Canada.

 
The first of its kind in Canada, the Chinese Canadian Museum is located in the historic Wing Sang Building in Vancouver Chinatown, with a second temporary location at Fan Tan Alley in Victoria, B.C.

 
Instagram: @ccmuseumbc <https://www.instagram.com/ccmuseumbc/?hl=en>  Facebook: @ChineseCanadianMuseum <https://www.facebook.com/ChineseCanadianMuseum/> Linkedin: @ChineseCanadianMuseum <https://www.linkedin.com/company/chinesecanadianmuseum/>
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Media contact:  Yvonne Chiang, 604-880-5090, news at chiangpr.ca <mailto:news at chiangpr.ca> 





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