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Photo: Jim.henderson, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Exhibits on the history and culture of Chinese-Americans.
The Museum of Chinese in America is a museum in Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, which exhibits Chinese American history. It is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education and cultural institution that presents the living history, heritage, culture, and diverse experiences of Chinese Americans through exhibitions, educational services and public programs. Much of its collection was damaged or destroyed in a fire in January 2020. The museum reopened to the public on July 15, 2021. It has been criticized by some Chinatown residents due to concerns related to gentrification.
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An excellent place to relax and people-watch. Early in the mornings, people practice their tai chi there. If you're interested, some of these people might teach you a little bit of it. At times, a group of women practices traditional Chinese fan dances. Also, there are usually basketball tournaments in the summer you can either participate in or watch. In the afternoon when school is out, many adolescents hang out in this park.
At this square at the confluence of several major streets, there is a memorial archway to Chinese-Americans who died in World War II which has some interesting calligraphy. Also in the square is a statue of Lin Zexu, a Chinese scholar who opposed the opium trade in the 19th century.
The museum, a non-sectarian cultural organization based in the restored 1887 National Historic Landmark Eldridge Street Synagogue, presents the culture, history and traditions of the great wave of Jewish immigrants to the Lower East Side drawing parallels with the diverse cultural communities that have settled in America. The museum offers guided tours of the synagogue, new exhibits and programs -- including concerts, neighborhood walking tours and film screenings.