As the world turns its attention to soccer this summer, the Chinese Canadian Museum is preparing to open a major new exhibition exploring how sports have shaped identity, community, and visibility in Canada.
Opening June 10, 2026, “Momentum: Power and Identity in Sports” will run through September 5, 2027 at the museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
Timed to coincide with the kickoff of the World Cup, the world’s largest sporting event taking place in Canada, the exhibition will explore how Chinese Canadian athletes and fans have contributed to the country’s sporting culture for more than a century.
The Chinese Canadian Museum, which opened in 2023 and is located in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, is Canada’s first museum dedicated to sharing the stories, contributions, and experiences of Chinese Canadians.
A story of sport and belonging
Sport has long served as a powerful arena for identity, belonging, and national pride. However, the contributions of Chinese Canadians have often been overlooked in mainstream sporting history.
“Momentum” aims to change that.
Through historic memorabilia, archival film, and contemporary artwork, the exhibition will spotlight Chinese Canadian athletes and communities from the early 1900s to the present day.
Visitors will encounter stories across a wide range of sports. These include soccer, hockey, basketball, football, figure skating, wrestling, and rhythmic gymnastics. Together, these narratives reveal how participation in sport helped Chinese Canadians claim space, visibility, and recognition within Canadian society.
“Sport is a key arena through which national identity is negotiated,” said Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum. “Momentum foregrounds Chinese Canadian participation that has long been marginalized in Canada’s sporting record.”
A mix of history, art, and immersive design
Rather than presenting a traditional historical exhibition, “Momentum” blends sport history with contemporary art and multimedia experiences.
Historic artifacts and photographs will sit alongside modern visual works that examine how sport intersects with culture, politics, and power.
One of the exhibition’s highlights will be a new LED video façade, designed to showcase sport as spectacle and collective performance. In addition, visitors will encounter an immersive sports-bar-style installation that recreates the communal energy of watching games together.
That installation focuses on collective spectatorship, the shared moments when communities gather to celebrate victories, endure losses, and rally behind teams and athletes.
The result is an exhibition that examines both participation on the field and engagement off it.
From early pioneers to today’s athletes
Chinese Canadian athletes have played an important role in Canada’s sporting landscape for generations.
From early pioneers navigating discrimination in the early 20th century to modern competitors performing on national and international stages, these athletes have helped shape Canadian sport in ways that remain underrecognized.
“Momentum” highlights those contributions while placing them within broader conversations about resilience, citizenship, and cultural identity.
The exhibition also emphasizes the many roles Chinese Canadians have played in sport beyond competition. Organizers, coaches, community leaders, and fans have all contributed to building sporting communities across the country.
By bringing these stories together, the exhibition reframes participation in sport as a form of power — one that drives visibility, belonging, and influence.
Timed with a global moment for sport
The exhibition arrives at a time when sport will dominate the national conversation.
With Canada hosting matches during the upcoming global soccer tournament this summer, millions of fans will gather in stadiums, public plazas, and living rooms to watch the world’s best teams compete.
“Momentum” connects that global excitement with the local histories that helped shape Canada’s sporting culture.
By highlighting stories that span more than a century, the exhibition places Chinese Canadian experiences within the broader story of sport in Canada.
Continuing programming to come
The Chinese Canadian Museum plans to announce additional programming tied to “Momentum” in the coming months.
These may include talks, community events, and other activations designed to deepen public engagement with the exhibition’s themes.
For visitors, the exhibition offers a chance to see how sport has functioned not only as competition, but also as a powerful force for representation, community, and cultural identity.
“Momentum: Power and Identity in Sports” opens June 10, 2026 and runs until September 5, 2027 at the Chinese Canadian Museum.
