Museum of Chinese in America
Museum of Chinese in America
4.5
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
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 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.
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Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
- Canal St • 2 min walk
- Canal St • 3 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
132 reviews
Excellent
68
Very good
48
Average
13
Poor
2
Terrible
1
bigctc
New York City, NY13 contributions
Sept 2019 • Solo
A prior review claims a fire in January 2020 destroyed the museum. This is NOT true. The museum is located at 215 Centre Street - and is open for business as usual. The fire occurred at another building which housed the museum’s archives, which is undergoing recovery. Had to set that straight...
I loved my time spent at the museum. For people who enjoy history and discovering unexpected connections, this is a place that will leave you stunned. Who knew the Irish faced so many common challenges as the Chinese upon their arrival? Who knew of so many important contributions that were pioneered or discovered by Chinese Americans? Who knew that the early Chinese immigrants were mostly originated by one specific part of China? NOT ME.
This museum has made me appreciate not only my cultural heritage but also the heritage of other immigrants. I believe if you would make time to take a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you should surely visit the Museum of Chinese in America. After all, the first tenement houses of NYC were built in what is now Chinatown. It could be fair to say Chinatown is the original location of the immigrant grit, hustle, and grind - attitudes that New York is famous for.
I loved my time spent at the museum. For people who enjoy history and discovering unexpected connections, this is a place that will leave you stunned. Who knew the Irish faced so many common challenges as the Chinese upon their arrival? Who knew of so many important contributions that were pioneered or discovered by Chinese Americans? Who knew that the early Chinese immigrants were mostly originated by one specific part of China? NOT ME.
This museum has made me appreciate not only my cultural heritage but also the heritage of other immigrants. I believe if you would make time to take a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you should surely visit the Museum of Chinese in America. After all, the first tenement houses of NYC were built in what is now Chinatown. It could be fair to say Chinatown is the original location of the immigrant grit, hustle, and grind - attitudes that New York is famous for.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ5,998 contributions
Feb 2022
This was the first time I was to the Museum of Chinese in America in almost three years. It has been closed since COVID and finally reopened again.
I got to look over the permanent collection again which is the history of immigration of the Chinese to America and it is not always the best history. The time is full of racist moments that is full stereotypes. It is not the easiest history to hear but this is the story of all immigration to this country.
The special exhibition going on right now deals with Racism during the time of COVID and again it is not the easiest thing to read but it does open your eyes to what is going on with all these attacks on innocent people.
I find the museum to information and an eye opener on the history of immigration in this country. This happened with every ethnic group when they came to this country.
I got to look over the permanent collection again which is the history of immigration of the Chinese to America and it is not always the best history. The time is full of racist moments that is full stereotypes. It is not the easiest history to hear but this is the story of all immigration to this country.
The special exhibition going on right now deals with Racism during the time of COVID and again it is not the easiest thing to read but it does open your eyes to what is going on with all these attacks on innocent people.
I find the museum to information and an eye opener on the history of immigration in this country. This happened with every ethnic group when they came to this country.
Written 13 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
msquared
Kaneohe, HI530 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
This museum centers on the Chinese in America. How they came and the hardships they encountered. Also note the prominent Chinese Americans. The interior is well done and display are interesting. The visit at this moment was free which made it even better
Written 27 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ed T
Brooklyn, NY55 contributions
Jan 2020
Visited MOCA two days before the Lunar New Year which didn't really impact the museum. Some very interesting reads on Chinese Americans who made significant contributions to America. Would have appreciated more artifacts or items for display rather than having to read the captions for most pictures. There was one room which I believe represented a Chinese Store in Chinatown past but there were no labels as to the ingredients in the jars on display. Signage was not very good, for example black letters on a brown background is very hard to read and the fonts could have been larger. There was a school group going through the museum when we visited and from what we overheard staff were very informative and gave age appropriate info for the children. Overall, OK but needs work on guiding visitors through the museum.
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josh D
New York City, NY895 contributions
May 2024 • Solo
My sister was once tired and told me there is a little Tokyo in Japan when she meant to say San Francisco!! I happen to be a fan of them ethnic areas and I want to travel the world but I can do it on the subway in one city!! I went here because I’m broke and waiting to get paid from my internship and it was free!! It was a small place but the things were very interesting and it made me learn more about Chinese history!! I will always enjoy the history places and this one was free!!
Written 24 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RoadtripMommy
California163 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
I had been wanting to visit this museum for awhile. The exhibit shows a timeline of Chinese in America. When we went, there was no admission charge. The interior is beautifully decorated with air conditioning. It was so quiet and tranquil despite being in the heart of Chinatown. It's a perfect location if you want a break but at the same time, learn the important contributions of Chinese immigrants to this country.
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheLeongOhana
United States7,505 contributions
Mar 2022
As a beneficiary of MacKenzie Scott, MOCA has been given a generous opportunity to expand their museum. This attracted some controversy with protesters stationed in front but you’ll need to make your own decision to enter or move on.
We decided to enter and the security guard opened the door for us. Once inside we heard from the museum and then decided to explore the various exhibits. It was free to visit. Research center with shelves of books and the museum store were right there in the main entrance.
We headed into the first exhibit which dealt with racism as it spiked during COVID.
The next exhibits covered the Chinese in America starting from the late 1700s until the present. Details about the arrivals, the prejudice and exclusions, adapting and contributing to America, etc. Photos, stories and actual items (i.e. recreation of a general store) enhanced the learning experience.
Downstairs was a learning center for children as well as the restrooms.
We spent about an hour here and it was well worth the time. Hope there will be a larger expansion in the future.
We decided to enter and the security guard opened the door for us. Once inside we heard from the museum and then decided to explore the various exhibits. It was free to visit. Research center with shelves of books and the museum store were right there in the main entrance.
We headed into the first exhibit which dealt with racism as it spiked during COVID.
The next exhibits covered the Chinese in America starting from the late 1700s until the present. Details about the arrivals, the prejudice and exclusions, adapting and contributing to America, etc. Photos, stories and actual items (i.e. recreation of a general store) enhanced the learning experience.
Downstairs was a learning center for children as well as the restrooms.
We spent about an hour here and it was well worth the time. Hope there will be a larger expansion in the future.
Written 19 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David R
Schenectady, NY49 contributions
Aug 2019
The Museum of Chinese in America is a small museum just off the main drag in Manhattan's Chinatown. Its exhibits cover a wide range of material from the anti-Chinese movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries to the importance of community organizations. Even if you are not Chinese (I am not) this is a rewarding and important stop when in the area. There is a small gift shop. A visit should take between and and two and a half hours.
Written 9 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonsayers
Sudbury, UK178 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
We stayed in Chinatown, and so decided to visit this little museum to get a feel for the history of the area.
A few interesting exhibits, but to be honest, I thought that a lot more could have been made of this. Not much to read, by way of explanation. Audio stories were available by pressing buttons on some items, but they were very quiet and some did not work at all.
A few interesting exhibits, but to be honest, I thought that a lot more could have been made of this. Not much to read, by way of explanation. Audio stories were available by pressing buttons on some items, but they were very quiet and some did not work at all.
Written 29 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jrr501
New York City, NY56 contributions
May 2019
This is a nice gem in Chinatown that tells the story of Chinese in America. The exhibits are informative, but not overwhelming and there is a nice mix of interactive displays to keep all ages interested.
The book / gift shop is nice, as well. A great assortment of items different from your normal museum shop.
The book / gift shop is nice, as well. A great assortment of items different from your normal museum shop.
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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