San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
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San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
Home
About
Exhibitions
Education
Collection
Support SDCHM
More
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Member/Volunteer Login
  • Newsletters
More
  • Home
  • About
  • Exhibitions
  • Education
  • Collection
  • Support SDCHM
  • More
    • News
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Our History

Our Historic Main Building

The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum’s permanent exhibition is housed in a mission-style building designed by Louis J. Gill, nephew and protégé of famed architect, Irving Gill. For 30 years, this structure housed the Chinese Community Church (formerly the Chinese Mission), where English language classes were held for new immigrants who often lived in adjacent dormitories.

Relocation to 404 Third Ave.

 By 1960, the Chinese community had relocated from downtown San Diego and the congregation built a new facility on 47th Street. The adobe building on First Avenue fell into disuse and was slated for demolition in the 1980s, until Sally Wong-Avery, Dorothy Hom, and City Councilman Tom Hom, launched a campaign to rescue it.  The Chinese Historical Society of Greater San Diego and Baja California was able to save the building and, eventually, relocate it to 404 Third Avenue. 


View more photos of the relocation here

Please help us to welcome our incoming Executive Director, Jacinta Wong.  Check out our news page for details.

Our Board, Staff, and Education Outreach team

SDCHM Board of Directors

Li-Rong Lilly Cheng, Chair

Sheldon Lou, Vice-Chair

Yi Sun, Secretary

Lily Tou Birmingham, Treasurer

Diane Carlos

Lynn Chou

Lillian Chu

Catherine Jones

Michael McQuary

Jack Meng

Robert Stein

SDCHM Advisory Board

Dr. Niyi Coker, Director of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film, San Diego State University 

Chris Chan, Director of San Diego City Council Communications 

Matthew Crisci, author and marketing executive 

Heath Fox, Executive Director of the La Jolla Historical Society (retired) 

Woon-Wah Siu, Attorney at Law (retired)

Dr. Sandra Wawrytko, Professor in the Department of Philosophy, San Diego State University

SDCHM Staff Members

Lily Tou Birmingham, Co-Interim Director

Dr. Robert Stein, Co-Interim Director

Elizabeth Hensley Chaney, Programs Coordinator

Kristof Marsolais, Registrar

Mu-Ting Huang, Financial Analyst 

Paulina Serra, Graphic Designer

Yessenia Perez, Education Coordinator

Education Outreach Team

Linda DiBenedetto, Museum Docent Coordinator

Vivian Biely, Museum Docent

Diane Carlos, Museum Docent

Catherine Jones, Museum Docent

Jack Meng, Museum Docent

Virginia Olsen, Museum Docent

Chia-Hui Shih, Museum Docent

Karen SooHoo, Museum Docent

Michael Yee, Historian-Educator

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