The East Kong Yick Building shortly after re-opening as the new Wing Luke Asian Museum in May 2008.
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Former name | Wing Luke Memorial Museum (1967–1987), Wing Luke Asian Museum (1987–2010) |
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Established | May 17, 1967 (current location since 2008) |
Location | 719 S King Street Seattle, Washington 98104 |
Coordinates | 47°35′54″N 122°19′22″W / 47.59833°N 122.32278°WCoordinates: 47°35′54″N 122°19′22″W / 47.59833°N 122.32278°W |
Type | Ethnic history museum |
President | Casey Bui and Ellen Ferguson |
Public transit access | Link Light Rail (International District/Chinatown), King County Metro, First Hill Streetcar |
Website | wingluke |
The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience (informally, The Wing) is a history museum located in Seattle, Washington's Chinatown-International District. A Smithsonian Institution affiliate, the Wing is dedicated to engaging the public to explore issues related to the culture, art and history of Asian Pacific Americans. It is the only pan-Asian Pacific American community-based museum in America, highlighting the issues and life-experiences of one of the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States. In February 2013 it gained recognition as one of two dozen "affiliated areas" of the U.S. National Park Service.
The Wing's collections have over 18,000 items, including artifacts, photographs, documents, books, and oral histories. Parts of the museum's collections are viewable through its online database. There is an oral history lab inside the museum for staff and public use.
The Wing houses temporary and permanent exhibitions related to Asian American history, art, and cultures. The museum represents over 26 ethnic groups.
The museum uses a community-based exhibition model to create exhibits. As part of the community-based process, the museum conducts outreach into communities to find individuals and organizations to partner with. The Wing then forms a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to determine the exhibit's direction. Staff at the museum conduct research, gathers materials, and records relevant oral histories under the guidance of the CAC. The CAC also determines the exhibit's overall design and content. The process may take place over a period of a year to 18 months.
In 1995, the Wing received the Institute for Museum and Library Services National Award for Museum Service for its exhibit process. Award-winning exhibits by the Wing include Do You Know Bruce?, a 2014 exhibit on Bruce Lee. The Association of King County Historical Organizations awarded Do You Know Bruce? the 2015 Exhibit Award.