As May marks Asian Heritage Month in Canada, Vancouver is once again spotlighting the stories, communities, and cultural institutions that shape the city’s identity. Among them, the Chinese Canadian Museum stands out as a place where history and lived experience come together in a way that feels both personal and immediate.
Two of the museum’s current exhibitions, Collector’s Corner: Roger Lee and Montréal Chinois: The Lost Decades, are set to close on May 10, offering a limited-time opportunity to experience them during the first half of the month.
A closer look at stories you won’t find elsewhere
While Vancouver is home to one of the largest Chinese communities in North America, many of the stories that define that history often remain fragmented or underrepresented. Exhibitions like Collector’s Corner help bridge that gap by spotlighting personal collections and the individuals behind them. These displays offer a glimpse into how everyday objects can hold cultural memory across generations.
Meanwhile, Montréal Chinois shifts the lens eastward, exploring the Chinese Canadian experience across the country. By focusing on Montreal’s community, the exhibition expands the narrative, showing how identity, migration, and belonging have taken shape differently across the country.
Together, the two exhibitions create a layered experience that feels both intimate and national in scope. For visitors, it is a rare opportunity to see how personal histories connect to broader cultural movements.
More than exhibitions: programs that bring culture to life
Beyond its gallery spaces, the museum continues to build programming that invites deeper engagement, especially for families and those looking for a more hands-on experience.
One such offering is Family Discovery: Roger Lee’s Teapots, a Mother’s Day weekend program where visitors can tour Roger Lee’s Yixing teapot collection and design a teapot-inspired pop-up card for their mother or another mother figure. It offers a more tactile entry point into Chinese cultural traditions, making it especially accessible for younger audiences.
Another program, Clan of the Painted Lady, screens Saturday, May 23 at VIFF Centre — a joint presentation with VIFF and Knowledge Network. The feature documentary by Vancouver-based director Jennifer Chiu traces the story of the Hakka — known as the “guest people” of southern China — and their global diaspora, drawing on Chiu’s own family history. A post-screening Q&A with the director follows.
These programs help position the museum not just as a place to observe history, but as a space to interact with it.
A timely moment to visit and support
With Asian Heritage Month drawing attention to cultural institutions across the country, the coming weeks represent an important period for visibility and support. For the Chinese Canadian Museum, this includes encouraging community members to visit before exhibitions close, while also opening the door for broader participation.
The museum is currently inviting donations to support its ongoing work in preserving and sharing Chinese Canadian history. At the same time, it is encouraging local businesses and organizations to consider group visits and team outings as a way to engage with the space while supporting its long-term sustainability.
Planning your visit
For those looking to explore Vancouver’s cultural landscape this month, the timing aligns with a meaningful opportunity. Whether it is a last look at Collector’s Corner and Montréal Chinois, or a deeper dive through one of the museum’s programs, or a stop at 1889 Trading Co. for a curated keepsake, these experiences are both timely and worth prioritizing.
As Asian Heritage Month continues, spaces like the Chinese Canadian Museum offer more than just exhibitions. They provide context, connection, and a reminder of the stories that continue to shape the city.
