Wing Luke

The kids and I finally got to visit the Wing Luke Museum in the International District today and I have to say that I think I found my new favorite museum. We opted for the guided tour through the historic portions of the museum. It was moving and fascinating and informative. And we were the only people on the tour which meant that our very patient tour guide, May, got to attend to all our questions (relevant and otherwise). 

The structure that houses the museum was originally built at the turn of the last century by a collective of over 100 Chinese men. The Chinese were not allowed to own property, so this group formed a legal Corporation, pooled their money and built the hotel. A common toilet and kitchen were shared by all the residents. The rooms seem tiny compared to the space we would expect in a modern hotel, but this was a common arrangement for recent immigrants and the seasonal working population of the neighborhood. 

This is an art instillation paying tribute to the many thousands of immigrants who have come to this country by water. The paper hanging in the open air have notes written on them and voice recordings of the notes being read in their native tongue quietly mix with the sound of water and a current of air. It was an effective sensory tribute and I found it very moving. 

This actual grocery store, opened in 1910, was donated to the museum after the second generation of store owner retired in 2006. It had been located around the corner from it's current resting place, but each can, jar, fixture and beam were carefully transplanted into the middle of the present day museum. It is fascinated to get up close and personal with a fully stocked grocery store from 100 years ago.  

I was impressed with the patina of wear on the floors, stairs and doors made by the thousands of people who stayed at this hotel over the past century. I live in the youngest region of an already young nation (relativly speaking) but this tour felt like walking through a time warp. The real lives of real families who were struggling to make a new life in their adopted country were reflected in this  place. It made me grateful to have an institution that preserved part of our  city's gritty history.