Victoria Chinatown Museum opens pair of new exhibits on immigration and sweets

The Victoria Chinatown Museum, located in Fan Tan Alley, has announced they will be opening two new exhibits this week. 

The new exhibits explore two very different aspects of the experiences of Chinese immigrants. 

They are called “A Seat at the Table: Chinese Immigration and British Columbia” and
“A Little Bit Sweet: Chinese Canadian Confections, Culture and Community.”

The first of these exhibits, “A Seat at the Table,” is on loan from the Chinese Canadian Museum and delves into the Chinese immigration experience in BC through stories of belonging, racism, agency and resilience.

All these themes are explored through Chinese Canadian restaurant and food culture.

Meanwhile, “A Little Bit Sweet” is the inaugural exhibit curated by the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society. 

This exhibit uses four personal stories involving Chinese desserts, both traditional and modern, and shows how these treats tie families, cultures and communities together.

“We are thrilled to be opening these two exhibits,” says Grace Wong Sneddon, chair of the Victoria Chinese Museum Society. 

“We developed our companion exhibit, ‘A Little Bit Sweet,’ to complement and provide a lighter counterpoint to the outstanding ‘A Seat at the Table’ exhibit.” 

Sneddon added that she hopes everyone who comes by to see the new exhibits will enjoy learning about Chinese Canadian history and some of the delicious treats that have been passed down through the generations.

These exhibits are being launched on Friday, November 28th.