New Satellite Exhibition in Chinatown Exploring Chinese Immigration in BC

The Museum of Vancouver (MOV) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) proudly present A Seat at the Table: Chinese Immigration and British Columbia in Chinatown, a temporary exhibition that is now open to the public.

Located in the heart of Chinatown, on the first floor of the Hon Hsing Athletic Club, this first installment of A Seat at the Table offers a unique encounter with personal stories of Chinese Canadians. It is a key project on Chinese Canadian history and culture in Canada to date and seeks to diversify and make cultural representations of Canada more inclusive, while also supporting the broader goal of transforming how the public understand Canada’s long-lasting engagement with the Pacific, specifically with its successive waves of Chinese migrations.

The exhibition includes snapshots from people’s lives to show how Chinese migrants and their descendants have found ways to earn a living, challenge systemic racism, connect with others, survive and thrive through hope and resilience.

Visitors are invited to share their experiences as Chinese Canadians, or their interactions with Chinese Canadians in their community, or their experiences as migrants living in a new place. Visitors can choose to share their stories on camera, through in-person interviews, in writing, or simply by placing a marker on a map. These narratives will contribute to the complex and continuing story of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia.

The exhibition site also houses the Chinese Canadian Museum project office, which initially opened to the public in late 2019 on Columbia Street. The CCM’s mandate is to connect the stories of Chinese Canadians to the broader story of British Columbia as a diverse, multicultural society that is still coming to terms with its past. Establishing a Chinese Canadian museum is one of the goals of a partnership between the provincial government and the City of Vancouver that is pursuing UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for Vancouver Chinatown.

Another exhibition, that will also showcase interactions between Chinese, other migrants and Indigenous communities, is scheduled to open at the MOV this fall.

Open: Friday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Admission is free. We recommend booking tickets online.

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