Experience the Chinese Canadian Museum!
Fresh off its prestigious 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums, the Chinese Canadian Museum — Canada’s first and only museum dedicated to Chinese Canadian stories — is entering an exciting new phase with renovated spaces and compelling exhibitions that explore pop culture, history and identity. Housed in the Wing Sang Building — the oldest brick building in Vancouver’s Chinatown — the four-storey museum is steeped in history, right down to its very structure. It offers visitors a journey through Chinese Canadian experiences, from early migrations to contemporary contributions, shedding light on pivotal moments in Chinese Canadian history.
The museum invites visitors to step back in time and immerse themselves in three thought-provoking exhibitions: Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s–2000 on the second floor, and the new military exhibition A Soldier for All Seasons alongside Period Rooms: Historic School Room and Living Room on the third. A fourth exhibition on the first floor is also set to open in October 2025. Guided tours are available in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, ensuring accessibility for visitors of diverse backgrounds.
Featured Exhibitions:
Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s-2000
Dream Factory celebrates the rise of Cantopop and Mandopop — from chart-topping anthems to devoted global fandoms. Spanning two decades, it traces the genre’s cultural impact and spotlights Canada’s role in this international phenomenon. A must-visit for music fans, cultural enthusiasts and anyone moved by the rhythms of migration, memory and creativity.
A Soldier for All Seasons
Marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War, this exhibition highlights the experiences of Chinese Canadians on the battlefronts. Step into the 1940s and discover the lives of Chinese Canadian soldiers through their stories, personal belongings and immersive audiovisual displays.
Period Rooms: Historic School Room and Living Room
On the third floor, meticulously recreated period rooms transport guests to bygone eras. The oldest school room in Vancouver offers a tangible connection to the community’s educational heritage. Nearby, a 1930s living room invites you to play music on a phonograph or pick up a rotary phone to hear memories of life in the Wing Sang Building. Be sure to pose for a portrait as part of a historic class photo — a unique keepsake.
Visit chinesecanadianmuseum.ca to learn more.
