From your House, Attic, or Garage into the Chinese
American Museum Collection
The Chinese American Museum (CAM) collects objects and
documents that reflect on the experiences of Chinese
Americans living in Southern California from 1850 to
2000. Because CAM is interested in the recent
experiences of Chinese Americans, it is likely that
you have an item for CAM's Collection. While CAM
collects objects that reflect the history of Chinese
Americans 1850-2000, CAM is especially interested in
objects
that tell the story of Chinese American experiences
between 1965-2000.
Below is a list of general themes and specific items
CAM is collecting. If your furniture, ceramics,
artwork, books, souvenirs, scrapbooks, posters,
tea tins, soy sauce bottles, or "junk," fall into any
of the general themes below, it could be a great
"treasure" for the CAM collection.
Your donation may become part of CAM's permanent
exhibits. Located at El Pueblo Historical
Monument, commonly known as Olvera Street, CAM's new
facility in this historic district will bring the
story of Chinese Americans to El Pueblo's 1.5 million
annual visitors. To have your objects considered for
CAM's permanent exhibits, please send us a black &
white photocopy or a simple snapshot of your potential
donation with your name, address, telephone, and
e-mail address to:
Attn: Archives
Chinese American Museum
125 Paseo de la Plaza, Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Questions? Please contact CAM's curator at
curator@camla.org or call (213) 626-5240.
We are looking for:
Theme: Business, Careers, & Manufacturing
Not limited to the following examples:
- Chinese Yellow Pages
- Barber Shop Razor (new or made within the past 10
years)
- Chinese Restaurant Menus 1850-2000, send us a
current menu!
- Restaurant Menus that show Chinese or
Chinese-influenced foods, i.e.
Chinese Chicken Salad on a diner menu, send us a
current menu!
- Chinese Restaurant take-out boxes 1850-2000, send us
a current box!
- Acupuncture/Herb Shop advertisements & business
cards 1850-2000, send us your current card!
Theme: Chinese American Organizations
(political, social, support, student & religious)
Not limited to the following examples:
- Organizational banners 1850-2000
- Event programs
Theme: Chinese Culture in Multicultural Southern California
Not limited to the following examples:
- Soy sauce bottles, packaging, and advertisements
- Tofu bottles, packaging, and advertisements
- Fortune cookie packaging and advertisements
Theme: Exploring Culture & Identity
Not limited to the following examples:
- Children's Books on Red Ginger & Egg
- Brush Painting, brushes and related materials
- Mahjong, Fan Tan, Chinese Chess, and Chinese Checker
sets 1850-2000
- Chinese Keno Tickets
- Chinese or Chinese-inspired jewelry
- Artwork, including posters, that have been on
display in your home for at least ten years (Does not
have to be Chinese or Chinese-inspired).
- Chinese New Year parade costumes
Theme: Immigration
Not limited to the following examples:
- Passports & Traveling Documents 1850-2000
- Letters, gifts, and keepsakes from home countries
Theme: Family Memories
Letters, gifts, and keepsakes
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