EXHIBITIONS______VISIT______COLLECTIONS______SUPPORT rrrrrrrr CONTACT

We are thrilled to reopen and excited to welcome the public back on Saturdays and Sundays only beginning on March 6 with slightly shortened hours for both days from 10:30am to 3:30pm. We will closely monitor the pandemic situation and may extend the reopening to some weekdays. We have established protocols to ensure the safely of our visitors, volunteers and staff.

February is the shortest month of the year but a very busy month for the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC)!

Lunar New Year fell in February this year and hence there was quite a number of celebrations, presentations or other events in the month as indicated below. We were and still are very busy preparing to launch our first mini exhibit of this year in April that will help our visitors experience the fascinating story of Chinese restaurants from the early 20th century, featuring King Joy Lo! King Joy Lo was a luxurious and prestigious Mandarin Restaurant, frequently visited by wealthy residents from 1910 through the 1930s. It gained a reputation as "the Most Beautiful and World-Famous Mandarin Restaurant."

Our second mini exhibit titled "Chinese American Veterans: The American Heroes” will open on Veterans Day November 11. We are currently updating the Chinese American Veterans poster honoring all those who have served the US military, and asking for help from CAMOC community through our social media to provide names that were inadvertently overlooked or missing. We had a number of meetings with some Chinese American veterans who had already provided valuable information, objects and photographs for the exhibit. But we need more! We need your help!

We, of course, were also preparing for our reopening in March. However, due to limited resources and concerns about the pandemic still linger, we decided to reopen our Museum only on weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, with slightly shorter than normal business hours. We hope you will plan to visit us on March 6 or shortly thereafter!

I hope you can join me to pray for Bernie Wong whose breast cancer has spread to her abdomen. Her oncologist and palliative team at the hospital had stopped her medication. She decided on Hospice Care at Home. Bernie is the co-founder and former President of the Chinese American Service League (CASL), a powerful advocate for Chinese immigrants’ communities, my former boss and a very good friend. She is also a supporter and friend of CAMOC.

Ben Lau

Executive Director

ED Ben Lau shared childhood memories of the Spring Lantern Festival as one of the panelists at an online event hosted by Chinese American Museum DC and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office on February 26 .

This year's virtual CNY celebration was our most viewed video on YouTube! It was also our very first virtual CNY. We had lion dancing by Master P.C. Leung and his team, traditional Chinese musical instrument performances by Kerry Leung, Chinese folk dancing by the Twin Sisters, Chinese cooking demonstrations by our Associate Board, Chinese calligraphy demonstrations by Ram Moy, Chinese papercut demonstrations by Lucy Liu, and a presentation on Chinese New Year traditions by Soo Lon Moy and Ben Lau. Thank you to all our performers and to everyone who joined us! 新年快樂!

ED Ben Lau was interviewed on The 21st, a public radio talk show that airs on five NPR stations around the state. The 21st is produced at Illinois Public Media in Urbana on the University of Illinois campus. Host Bob Brian Mackey talked with Ben, as well as the former president of the Chinese American Association, Michelle Lu, and food reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Louisa Chu. They discussed the traditions of Chinese New Year, CNY foods, and how the festivities are different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ED Ben Lau also delivered a virtual presentation about Chinese New Year at the Cook Memorial Public Library District. He introduced the legends and traditions of this important Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year on the lunar calendar. As the only Chinese American Museum in the Midwest, CAMOC was specially invited to participate in this collaborative program with the Cook Memorial Public Library District.

Earlier this month, CAMOC partnered with grocery chain Jewel-Osco to present food preparations of different Chinese New Year foods. CAMOC works with Jewel Osco every year for CNY events - some of you might remember last year's parade in a store! Due to the pandemic, this year's event went virtual twice on two separate days. We had a cooking demonstration from Ying Stoller, President & Founder of Ying's Kitchen, a cocktail-making lesson from Martell Brand Ambassador Christophe Pienkowski, and cultural activities from CAMOC. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

ED Ben Lau participated in the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Chicago's virtual Chinese New Year group greeting on February 5.

Right before Lunar New Year, CAMOC connected with the Chinese American Service League (CASL) to secure KN-95 masks for our community. A total of 150,000 KN-95 masks were generously donated to the community this Lunar New Year by Best Food Services, Charles Austin Limited, and Buy Fresh Direct. CASL coordinated the distribution of the masks throughout Chinatown as well as the Greater Chicago area. CAMOC was one of the 67 nonprofits that picked up KN-95 masks at CASL based upon demonstrated need. We're in this together! (Photo courtesy of CASL. From left to right: 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez, Best Food Services CEO Eric Kwok, and CAMOC ED Ben Lau.)

ED Ben Lau joined hands and hearts with government officials, business and community leaders to light up Chinatown with hundreds of red lanterns on February 6 to mark the beginning of Chinese New Year celebration ahead of the arrival of the Year of the Ox.

Chinatown Museum Foundation, which governs the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, is forming an Associate Board with the purpose of generating new opportunities for the Museum, especially with programming for high school and college students and young professionals. All skill sets will be considered. If interested in serving on the Associate Board to expand the Museum's public programming and fundraising efforts, please email a letter of interest/cover letter with your resume/curriculum vitae to office@ccamuseum.org.

An old Chinese saying, 時勢造英雄 (Shíshì zào yīngxióng ), which means a hero is made in the time of misfortune aptly describes how people rally together in the pandemic. During this challenging time we are deeply moved by the proactive steps and incredible acts of generosity and support exhibited by the Chinese Americans. Thousands of individuals and organizations have been raising money, donating personal protective equipment, and providing free meals to those in need, especially to front-line healthcare workers and others. CAMOC is inviting you to help us preserve these heroic moments by sharing the stories to our Together Against Covid-19 Special Collection.

CAMOC started this special collection with the goal of recording the experiences and stories of individuals, families, and organizations during these unprecedented times. The Together Against Covid-19 Collection will include various forms of content, which can be photos, videos, articles, audios, letters, paintings, certificates, or any form you can think of. If you are not sure whether your content fits our collection or you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please send your story to covid19@ccamuseum.org , with the subject Together Against Covid-19 Collection. And please include your contact information , including full name, organization or community if applicable, email, phone number, and mailing address.