Chinese historical society of america Museum and
learning Center
San Francisco, CA

Located in the historic landmark Julia Morgan YWCA in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the Chinese Historic Society of America Museum and Learning Center is devoted to the collection and exhibition of historical artifacts of Chinese culture. The existing structure is of great significance not only architecturally, but also to the Chinese-American community. Julia Morgan integrated Chinese motifs and notions about space into her design of the building. The historic preservation architect, Barcelon & Jang, carefully renovated, seismicly upgraded, and adaptively re-used the existing gymnasium and auxiliary spaces into a museum and educational center. This project required meticulous attention to detail and the original intentions of Julia Morgan. It is a tribute to the people of Chinatown, symbolizing the aspirations of the wider Chinese community and the Chinese Historical Society of America.