SDCHM Mission Building
Our Historic Main Building
Relocation to the Current Site
Relocation to the Current Site
- The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum’s permanent collection is housed in a mission-style building designed by Louis J. Gill, nephew and protégé of famed architect, Irving Gill. For 30 years, the structure housed the Chinese Community Church and English language classes for new immigrants who often lived in adjacent dormitories .
Relocation to the Current Site
Relocation to the Current Site
Relocation to the Current Site
- By 1960, the Chinese community had scattered and the congregation built a new facility elsewhere. The building fell into disuse and was slated for demolition in the 1980s, until Sally Wong and City Councilman Tom Hom, who grew up in San Diego’s Chinatown, launched a campaign to rescue it. The Chinese Historical Society was able to rescue the building and relocate it to its present location in the historic heart of San Diego’s Chinatown. Click for more photos of the relocation.