Instagram Story Viewer

Beginning Monday, December 22, CHSA Museum will be temporarily closed due to necessary renovations to repair and upgrade our facilities and museum space.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve the museum experience of our staff, our visitors, and our greater community.

This closure will remain in effect through February 2026. We anticipate opening the museum back up in mid-February and will remain communicative about any updates to the reopening timeline.

In the meantime, the museum will retain regular hours of operation through Sunday, December 21. Enjoy discounted museum admission by visiting CHSA.org. Additionally, our online gift shop will remain open throughout the temporary closure.

For more updates, follow CHSA.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

CHSA in partnership with the SFO Museum is excited to debut the Painted Pandas Project, the first-of-its-kind transformative art initiative aimed at revitalizing community through creativity and culture and bringing joy and local pop-up artistry to the San Francisco International Airport.

This temporary public art installation exhibit and educational program features a series of eight panda statues expressively hand-painted by a curated cohort of established Bay Area artists and muralists in a collaborative effort to bring beauty to and appreciation for the greater San Francisco community. The 75-inch-tall statues made of fiberglass stand on weighted bases depict the friendly, lovable pandas standing on their hind legs, embracing a piece of bamboo across their chests. They are currently on display at the SFO Museum and CHSA Museum for up to six months.

Thank you to our amazing artists:
Adrian Arias
Elaine Chu
Norman Chuck a.k.a. Vogue
Sergio De La Torre
Nick Dong
Vanessa Espinoza, a.k.a. DJ Agana
Marina Perez-Wong
Chris Treggiari
Keith Williams, a.k.a. K-Dub

For more information, visit link in bio.

Join Victor K. Wong, researcher with the Chinese History Project, as he unveils the untold story of the Chinese who built the final leg of the Pacific Railroad from Sacramento to the San Francisco Bay. Don’t miss this deep dive into the most well-documented portion: Alameda Canon (known as Niles Canyon) in the East Bay. Come and see forgotten and newly found photos of the original tracks hand-carved through this narrow canyon; they declare to all the Herculean handiwork of the unseen workers and bear witness to the strength and tenacity of the Chinese builders.

Join the conversation via Zoom. Visit link in bio.

🎟️ Now on Eventbrite, link at madelynpostman.com (link in bio).

📆 Saturday, May 30, Oakland @shoongculturalcenter

🀄️ Join us for this special community event with author Madelyn Postman, to talk about her new book, family and the roots of Oakland Chinatown.

🐉 Oakland Chinatown History Book Talk: Staring into the Sun with author Madelyn Postman

🔥🐴 Join us for a special community event: we will learn and celebrate the rich history of Oakland Chinatown with author Madelyn Postman, the great-granddaughter of Joe Shoong, founder of the Shoong Family Chinese Cultural Center (SFCCC) in Oakland Chinatown.

🇬🇧 Madelyn is coming from London to give a reading and kick off the release of her book, Staring into the Sun. Her book blends memoir and narrative nonfiction, exploring her family history alongside the broader story of Chinese American life, the early days of Oakland Chinatown, and the founding of the SFCCC.

📸 In a community event, we will share archival photos and documents from the opening of our Center in 1953, and reflect on the legacy of the Center together with former and current students. Madelyn will read from her book and discuss her research and writing process. Come to meet the author, buy a signed copy of her book, and share your memories of the Shoong Family Chinese Cultural Center.

🥠 The event is free and snacks will be provided.

🙏🙏🙏 Huge thanks to Enabling Auntie @annasophiesufei 🙏🙏🙏

CHSA Spotlight:
THE STRENGTH OF WATER
by Karin Jensen

In 1920s Detroit, King Ying stands on a box to iron clothes in her parents’ laundry business, endures taunts of Ching-Ching Chinaman on the playground, and tries to reconcile what passes for normal in Jazz-Age America with her father’s vastly different cultural values.

She dreams of a home, the elegance of her Jane Arden paper dolls, and winning her stern father’s affection. But when Ba incurs steep debts during the Great Depression, he sends her far from hope to his ancestral village.

In remote Tai Ting Pong, in the Guangdong Province of China, she feels as foreign in the land of her heritage as in the country of her birth. She must survive hunger, dangerous superstitions, and Japanese invasion as the Sino-Japanese War begins.

When guardian angels help her return to the U.S., it’s a chance to seize her American dream.

In this inspiring and heartfelt memoir, Karin K. Jensen records her mother’s transpacific quest for identity, survival, and new world dreams.

Join the conversation.
WHEN: May 16, 1:30PM
WHERE: CHSA Museum
ADMISSION: $15

For more information, visit CHSA.org.

CHSA Spotlight:
THE STRENGTH OF WATER
by Karin Jensen

In 1920s Detroit, King Ying stands on a box to iron clothes in her parents’ laundry business, endures taunts of Ching-Ching Chinaman on the playground, and tries to reconcile what passes for normal in Jazz-Age America with her father’s vastly different cultural values.

She dreams of a home, the elegance of her Jane Arden paper dolls, and winning her stern father’s affection. But when Ba incurs steep debts during the Great Depression, he sends her far from hope to his ancestral village.

In remote Tai Ting Pong, in the Guangdong Province of China, she feels as foreign in the land of her heritage as in the country of her birth. She must survive hunger, dangerous superstitions, and Japanese invasion as the Sino-Japanese War begins.

When guardian angels help her return to the U.S., it’s a chance to seize her American dream.

In this inspiring and heartfelt memoir, Karin K. Jensen records her mother’s transpacific quest for identity, survival, and new world dreams.

Join the conversation.
WHEN: May 16, 1:30PM
WHERE: CHSA Museum
ADMISSION: $15

For more information, visit CHSA.org.

CHSA Spotlight:
THE STRENGTH OF WATER
by Karin Jensen

In 1920s Detroit, King Ying stands on a box to iron clothes in her parents’ laundry business, endures taunts of Ching-Ching Chinaman on the playground, and tries to reconcile what passes for normal in Jazz-Age America with her father’s vastly different cultural values.

She dreams of a home, the elegance of her Jane Arden paper dolls, and winning her stern father’s affection. But when Ba incurs steep debts during the Great Depression, he sends her far from hope to his ancestral village.

In remote Tai Ting Pong, in the Guangdong Province of China, she feels as foreign in the land of her heritage as in the country of her birth. She must survive hunger, dangerous superstitions, and Japanese invasion as the Sino-Japanese War begins.

When guardian angels help her return to the U.S., it’s a chance to seize her American dream.

In this inspiring and heartfelt memoir, Karin K. Jensen records her mother’s transpacific quest for identity, survival, and new world dreams.

Join the conversation.
WHEN: May 16, 1:30PM
WHERE: CHSA Museum
ADMISSION: $15

For more information, visit CHSA.org.

Via @reshare_app • @asiansarestrong 5 years and stronger than ever!

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with the 5th annual Our Heritage 5K on Saturday, May 9 in San Francisco.

🏅This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate 5 years of the Our Heritage 5K. To mark the milestone, we’ll also be offering optional commemorative race medals!

What started as a community run has become a growing tradition, a joyful, family-friendly 5K that honors the history, resilience, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in San Francisco.

This scenic route takes participants through the heart of the city, passing historic AAPI landmarks and celebrating the stories, culture, and legacy that shape our communities.

We’ll kick off the day with an opening ceremony and keep the energy high with cheer stations, photo ops, treats, entertainment, and community celebration along the way.

This year we’re partnering with @caamedia to turn the race into a documentary as part of RE:CONNECT, a special film project to document the 5k.

Details:

📅 Saturday, May 9, 2026
🕐 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Route: Origami Fountain (Japantown) to Portsmouth Square (Chinatown)
🚶 20+ historic AAPI landmarks along the way
🏍 Opening ceremony
📣 Cheer stations
📸 Photo ops
🎉 Treats + entertainment at the finish line
🏅 First-ever commemorative race medal available
💵 Free

Come run, walk, celebrate, and be part of this special milestone with us. Let’s honor our heritage together.

IMPORTANT: All participants must register. Link in bio. More details coming soon.

#OurHeritage5K #AsiansAreStrong #RECONNECT #CAAMFest2026 #AAPIHeritageMonth SanFrancisco Japantown Chinatown AAPI 5K

Some stories don’t just endure. They grow.

We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family at the @chsamuseum marks another year of doing exactly that. The exhibition is about more than legacy. It’s about what happens when one person refuses to be defined by the boundaries others set for them.

Bruce Lee broke stereotypes, crossed cultures, and challenged what the world thought was possible. This exhibition honors that spirit, weaving together history, culture, and storytelling in a way that makes his story feel immediate and personal.

Built in collaboration with the CHSA and the @bruceleefoundation ,it’s the kind of work that asks something of its audience.

@brcimaginationarts Matt Solari served as a consultant on the project, one of many ways our team brought genuine care and expertise to the exhibition.

We’re proud to have been part of that. And proud it’s still resonating.

#MagicWithHeart

Join CHSA for a very special film screening of Chinatown (1995) and post-film discussion with director Felicia Lowe and San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim.

Through interviews and archival images, Chinatown offers an intimate look at San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood. The documentary, which features the poetry of San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim, received an Emmy Award for Best Cultural Documentary.

WHEN: April 29, 1PM
WHERE: CCSF Chinatown-North Beach Center, 808 Kearny Street, SF

To RSVP for this FREE event, visit link in bio or CHSA.org.

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

Thank you @chsamuseum for hosting the West Coast Chinatowns Panel & everyone who attended, supported this event, and all who continues to uplift Asian American history.
Tehama County’s own Chinatown history remains a vital part of this broader narrative.

#TehamaCounty #AmericanHistory #ChinatownStories #WestCoastHistory #RedBluffchew CommunityLega

MUSEUM UPDATE
CHSA is relocating our WEST COAST CHINATOWNS PANEL DISCUSSION event this Saturday to Victory Hall, located down the street at 827 Stockton Street, Chinatown.

The event agenda will remain the same: the program will be followed by a Q&A session with all speakers as well as a lunch reception.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your flexibility and understanding for this necessary change. For further information, visit CHSA.org.

CHSA Spotlight
Portland Chinatown

From the book PORTLAND’S CHINATOWN
By Dr. Kristin Wong and Portland Chinatown Museum

“Brimming with the heart of Portland’s Chinese American culture, Portland’s Chinatowns demonstrates resilience, family, and the importance of the history behind the community of immigrants that made Oregon their home.

Portland’s early Chinese Americans faced exclusion laws, racial discrimination, and forced relocation, leading to the New Chinatown/Japantown Historical District in downtown Portland. From modest beginnings in labor intensive industries such as hand laundries, restaurants, and agriculture, many were able to eventually own property when the city laws changed, and their children had opportunities to pursue higher education and other professions. Chinese and Chinese Americans proudly served in every US conflict since the Civil War despite the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited citizenship. Historic photographs document their challenges, successes, and contributions, enriching our understanding of the American immigrant experience from the 1850s to the present day. These images celebrate the resiliency of Portland’s Chinese community as they have helped create a vibrant multicultural city.”

Learn more about the history, present, and future of Portland Chinatown with author Dr. Kristin Wong, part of the West Coast Chinatowns panel discussion happening at CHSA Museum on April 12.

For more information, visit link in bio or go to CHSA.org.
.
.
.
.
.
#PortlandChinatownHistory #ChinatownHistories #USChinatowns #PortlandOregonHistory #CHSAMuseum

CHSA Spotlight
Portland Chinatown

From the book PORTLAND’S CHINATOWN
By Dr. Kristin Wong and Portland Chinatown Museum

“Brimming with the heart of Portland’s Chinese American culture, Portland’s Chinatowns demonstrates resilience, family, and the importance of the history behind the community of immigrants that made Oregon their home.

Portland’s early Chinese Americans faced exclusion laws, racial discrimination, and forced relocation, leading to the New Chinatown/Japantown Historical District in downtown Portland. From modest beginnings in labor intensive industries such as hand laundries, restaurants, and agriculture, many were able to eventually own property when the city laws changed, and their children had opportunities to pursue higher education and other professions. Chinese and Chinese Americans proudly served in every US conflict since the Civil War despite the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited citizenship. Historic photographs document their challenges, successes, and contributions, enriching our understanding of the American immigrant experience from the 1850s to the present day. These images celebrate the resiliency of Portland’s Chinese community as they have helped create a vibrant multicultural city.”

Learn more about the history, present, and future of Portland Chinatown with author Dr. Kristin Wong, part of the West Coast Chinatowns panel discussion happening at CHSA Museum on April 12.

For more information, visit link in bio or go to CHSA.org.
.
.
.
.
.
#PortlandChinatownHistory #ChinatownHistories #USChinatowns #PortlandOregonHistory #CHSAMuseum

CHSA Spotlight
Portland Chinatown

From the book PORTLAND’S CHINATOWN
By Dr. Kristin Wong and Portland Chinatown Museum

“Brimming with the heart of Portland’s Chinese American culture, Portland’s Chinatowns demonstrates resilience, family, and the importance of the history behind the community of immigrants that made Oregon their home.

Portland’s early Chinese Americans faced exclusion laws, racial discrimination, and forced relocation, leading to the New Chinatown/Japantown Historical District in downtown Portland. From modest beginnings in labor intensive industries such as hand laundries, restaurants, and agriculture, many were able to eventually own property when the city laws changed, and their children had opportunities to pursue higher education and other professions. Chinese and Chinese Americans proudly served in every US conflict since the Civil War despite the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited citizenship. Historic photographs document their challenges, successes, and contributions, enriching our understanding of the American immigrant experience from the 1850s to the present day. These images celebrate the resiliency of Portland’s Chinese community as they have helped create a vibrant multicultural city.”

Learn more about the history, present, and future of Portland Chinatown with author Dr. Kristin Wong, part of the West Coast Chinatowns panel discussion happening at CHSA Museum on April 12.

For more information, visit link in bio or go to CHSA.org.
.
.
.
.
.
#PortlandChinatownHistory #ChinatownHistories #USChinatowns #PortlandOregonHistory #CHSAMuseum