Portland Chinatown Museum

Call Directions Website Contact the museum

Portland Chinatown Museum Honoring Portland Chinatown's Past, Celebrating its Present, and Helping to Create its Future.

The Portland Chinatown History Foundation (initially called the Portland Chinatown History and Museum Foundation) was formed in late 2013 and was granted its 501c3 status as a charitable organization in May 2014. Its volunteer board and supporters are Chinese Americans who were raised, worked in or owned property or businesses in Portland’s Chinatown. Some of them are third and fourth generation Chinese American Portlanders. The organization’s roots go back to 1999 when, as the founder of the Old Town History Project, Jacqueline Peterson-Loomis began a multiethnic project involving oral history, walking tours, public art installations and exhibitions in Old Town Chinatown. The Old Town History Project was a collaboration with elders and members of the Chinese, Nikkei, Greek, and Jewish communities who had lived and or worked in Old Town Chinatown. The hope then was to develop a museum that would tell the story of Portland’s early ethnic history. The Portland Chinatown History Foundation hopes to open Portland’s first full service museum devoted to collecting, preserving, and interpreting for the general public the stories of Portland’s Chinatown. Our work and our museum focus on Chinatown as a collection of historic buildings and as a meaningful geography of work, play, and memory. We focus on the histories of place, peoples, and the community’s rich cultural traditions as part of the fabric of Portland.

Please help support Lan Su Garden and local business Golden Horse Restaurant.
09/24/2026

Please help support Lan Su Garden and local business Golden Horse Restaurant.

If you missed our August 30th presentation with Dr. Kristin Wong and Norm Gholston on Chinese American Genealogy and Res...
09/13/2026

If you missed our August 30th presentation with Dr. Kristin Wong and Norm Gholston on Chinese American Genealogy and Research, you can now watch it on Vimeo. Be sure to turn on the closed captions to catch all the details.

The Portland Chinatown Museum welcomes back Kristin Wong, author of Portland’s Chinatowns, for a special presentation on Chinese American genealogy and research. Joined by PCM board member Norm Gholston, this presentation highlights resources, tips, and information that will help you get started o...

https://www.oregonlive.com/events/2026/09/the-9-exhibits-you-cant-miss-this-fall-at-oregon-museums.htmlIf you haven't vi...
09/09/2026

https://www.oregonlive.com/events/2026/09/the-9-exhibits-you-cant-miss-this-fall-at-oregon-museums.html

If you haven't visited yet, be sure to experience the Memory Lab at PCM. Curated by Roberta Wong, "Honoring Oregon’s Chinese American Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members” is an active installation and welcomes community members to contribute more artifacts, documents, photographs and stories to expand on this legacy.

From a must-see art exhibit at the Portland Art Museum to OMSI's display of prehistoric monsters, here's what to catch at area museums this season.

Thank you to everyone who packed the Portland Chinatown Museum’s front gallery last Saturday for a special excerpt prese...
08/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who packed the Portland Chinatown Museum’s front gallery last Saturday for a special excerpt presentation of “At the Edge of Chinatown,” a musical in development from Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam. Attendees enjoyed great songs and storytelling about third-culture kids who must remix the old world to build their own. If you missed this event, you can still catch a performance from Joe and Simon at the 2026 Jade International Night Market this Saturday, August 29. For more info, click here: https://jadedistrict.org/jade-international-night-market-2026

PCM gives a special shout-out to Neil Lee of the CCBA for their technical assistance and to Tommy Ly of Geekeasy Anime Cafe for their delicious themed sandwiches and boba tea.

Sunday, August 30 | 11 am–12:30 pm | FREEThe Portland Chinatown Museum is pleased to welcome back Kristin Wong, author o...
08/25/2026

Sunday, August 30 | 11 am–12:30 pm | FREE

The Portland Chinatown Museum is pleased to welcome back Kristin Wong, author of Portland’s Chinatowns, for a special presentation on Chinese American genealogy and research. Joined by PCM board member Norm Gholston, this talk will share resources, tips, and information that will help you get started on your own genealogy and family research journey. This event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Kristin Wong is a clinical pharmacist and a fourth-generation Chinese American whose family has been actively involved in the Portland Chinese community. These vintage photographs from the Portland Chinatown Museum, along with public archives and private collections, reveal the fascinating history that dates back over 175 years of what was America’s second-largest Chinatown in 1900.

Norm Gholston oversees exhibits, programs, walking tours, the collection, and the library at the Architectural Heritage Center. A leader in the history community, Gholston participates in and leads groups deeply involved in history and exhibits. He is the co-author of the book Portland Slabtown Neighborhood and serves on the Board of Directors at the Portland Chinatown Museum.

We still have a few spots left on our RSVP list for tomorrow's special event!The Portland Chinatown Museum is pleased to...
08/21/2026

We still have a few spots left on our RSVP list for tomorrow's special event!

The Portland Chinatown Museum is pleased to host a special excerpt presentation of At the Edge of Chinatown, a new musical in development from artists Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam, on Saturday, August 22, from 4:00–5:30 pm. RSVP to save your spot, with a $5 suggested donation at the door.

A special excerpt presentation of At the Edge of Chinatown, a new musical in development from Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam.

08/20/2026

Portland Chinatown Museum has posters of this iconic neon sign for sale. Come and check out our gift shop!

The Royal Palm Hotel story
08/15/2026

The Royal Palm Hotel story

August 22 at PCM: A special excerpt presentation of "At the Edge of Chinatown," a new musical in development from Joe X....
08/11/2026

August 22 at PCM: A special excerpt presentation of "At the Edge of Chinatown," a new musical in development from Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam.

The Portland Chinatown Museum is pleased to host a special excerpt presentation of "At the Edge of Chinatown," a new musical in development from artists Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam, on Saturday, August 22, from 4:00–5:30 pm. RSVP to save your spot (link below) with a $5 suggested donation at the door.

"At the Edge of Chinatown" is an explosive new musical about third-culture kids who must remix the old world to build their own. It proves that sometimes the most powerful form of preservation is fearless reinvention. Featuring a contemporary score with punk rock energy, the piece explores how identity and community are not inherited..they are forged.

About the Artists:

Joe X. Jiang is a musician, composer, performer, and award-winning filmmaker and visual artist, known for his innovative work across alternative rock and performance. He is the co-chair of The Slants Foundation, a nonprofit that helps support and mentor Asian American artists using their craft to drive civic engagement.

Simon Tam is a musician, author, and composer whose work bridges performing arts, community-based activism, and storytelling. As founder and bassist of The Slants, he helped spark a national conversation on identity and civil rights. He also won a landmark unanimous U.S. Supreme Court case that protected free speech for minority communities.

A special excerpt presentation of At the Edge of Chinatown, a new musical in development from Joe X. Jiang and Simon Tam.

Address

127 NW Third Avenue
Portland, OR
97209

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 3am
Friday 11am - 3pm
Saturday 11am - 3pm
Sunday 11am - 3pm

Telephone

+15032240008

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Portland Chinatown Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Portland Chinatown Museum:

Shortcuts

Share