Memory of culture, art and history of Asian Americans, in Seattle’s Chinatown, this museum was founded in 1967.
Various guided tours retrace the history of the struggle of the first Asian immigrants, the living conditions of Chinese workers and the internment of Japanese Americans during the war after Pearl Harbor.
In the lobby, an exhibition recounts the life of Wing Luke whose name was given to the museum, but who was he?
Born in 1965 in a small town near Canton, he arrived in the United States with his family at the age of 6. He was one of the few Chinese children then attending school in Seattle. He joined the American army in his final year of high school, distinguished himself, was decorated and then entered the University of Washington. There again he proved to be an eminent leader and studied law. He practiced for a time before being appointed Deputy Attorney General of Washington State in the Civil Rights Division.
He then ran for a seat on Seattle City Council and became the first Asian American to hold an elected position in the Pacific Northwest and the first person of color to hold a seat on Seattle City Council.
Discover the treasures of this museum by visiting it, take a guide and relive the history of Chinese immigrants: their housing conditions, the grocery store which was at the same time a store, a meeting place and a place to help each other. . .
Both the history and the building are precious witnesses to Seattle’s history, choose your visit.
End your visit with a coffee or lunch at the restaurant next to the famous Panama Hotel, a few minutes walk from the museum. Follow in the footsteps of Henry Lee and Keiko, heroes of the book « Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet ». Essential to read before you go to this Seattle area! The restaurant has also remained authentic and at the back of the room a glass plate allows you to see the cellar where the belongings of Japanese Americans interned in the camps are still stored.
Enjoy your visit!
Emmanuelle Hillion
