Chinese-American Museum of Chicago, Chicago

Just a stone's throw from the bustling array of restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores that define Chinatown's Wentworth Avenue, you'll discover the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC). Flanked by two impressive stone lions, handcrafted by skilled artisans from China's Fujian Province and donated by Chinese officials, CAMOC may easily escape notice if you're not actively seeking it out. Although it occupies a small footprint in the museum world, it conceals within its walls far more than one might anticipate.

Before its inception, Chinatown lacked any museums, and it wasn't until 2005 that CAMOC opened its doors to the public. It's important to note, however, that this museum does not position itself as an authoritative voice on the Chinese-American experience. Instead, it embraces a more intimate approach, one that resonates with the community and serves as an alternate repository for personal histories. Many of the museum's artifacts stem from donations or loans extended by community members and individuals from the surrounding areas, lending an authenticity to the exhibits, from cherished family photographs to personal jewelry sets.

This community-centric focus is evident in the permanent exhibit, housed on the second floor. Notable sections include those featuring trilingual information panels (English, Spanish, Chinese) that narrate the tales of Chinese immigrants, with a particular emphasis on Chicago. Visitors can also delve into the history of the city's Chinatown through an informative timeline that charts the neighborhood's evolution and expansion, while detailing the waves of immigrants who have passed through.

Chinatown is often pigeonholed as a tourist destination renowned solely for its dim sum, bubble tea, and affordable souvenirs. What's too easily overlooked are the people and their histories, along with the diversity of their identities and experiences. Chinatown is undeniably in a state of transition, witnessing an influx of new immigrants and fresh storefronts, inevitably accompanied by those who will depart the neighborhood. CAMOC serves as a guardian of past Chinatowns while remaining open to the emergence of new ones. It not only offers later generations of Chinese-Americans the opportunity to explore their heritage and history but also provides Chinatown and its residents the platform to narrate their story on their own terms and in their own unique manner.