By: David Ben Hooren
A fire may have destroyed as many as 85,000 pieces from a respected Chinatown museum.
The fire broke out in a building in which the Museum of Chinese in America’s irreplaceable items, some nearly 200 years old, were stored.
The pieces tell the tale of migration to the U.S. from China through a plethora of textiles, restaurant menus, handwritten letters, and tickets for ship’s passage.
“One hundred percent of the museum’s collection, other than what is on view,” was in the storehouse, according to Nancy Yao Maasbach, the president of the museum.
According to the New York Times, the fire broke out Thursday night at 70 Mulberry Street. The site is a one-time school in which thousands of immigrants received their first taste of American education.
The paper quotes a Buildings Department official who said his inspectors found “significant interior fire damage” to the building. It has been ruled unsafe to occupy. “Nine firefighters and a 59-year-old man were injured in the blaze. The man was rescued from the fifth floor of the building and was reported to be in serious but stable condition, fire officials said. The firefighters sustained minor injuries.”
Founded in 1980, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history, heritage, culture and diverse experiences of people of Chinese descent in the United States, the institution explains on its web site. The greatly expanded MOCA at 215 Centre Street is a national home for the precious narratives of diverse Chinese American communities, and strives to be a model among interactive museums.
“The Museum promotes dialogue and understanding among people of all cultural backgrounds, bringing 160 years of Chinese American history to vivid life through its innovative exhibitions, educational and cultural programs,” it explains. “MOCA welcomes diverse visitors and participants to its broad array of exhibits and programs. MOCA’s expansion accommodates its range of visitors which include: New Yorkers, domestic and international visitors, neighborhood residents, students and school groups from local and regional schools.”
The Museum of Chinese in America:
– curates and displays its expanded collections
– presents exhibits and multimedia productions
– offers education programs and curriculum used in schools
– provide tours for domestic and international visitors through the galleries and the surrounding Chinatown neighborhood
– hosts series programming and multi-year projects that feature contemporary voices and current issues in the Chinese American community
– collects oral histories through its information technology and community-based projects
– hosts festivals, workshops, conferences and resources on Chinese American history
– promotes Chinese American culture through digital channels
– connects China American immigration experiences with parallel experiences from other ethnic communities
