Museum Tour

This one hour docent led tour provides an overview of the history San Diego Chinatown and the Chinese fishing village, a garden scavenger hunt (for children) or garden description, and an explanation of the current featured exhibit and permanent collection. This tour is for groups up to 25 people.

Audience: All Ages
Time: 1 Hour
Fee: $40. Add a Classroom Exhibit Presentation with your museum tour for an additional $50.

Classroom Exhibit Presentations
Chinese New Year's Special: A Dragon's Tale

This presentation tells the tale of how the Chinese zodiac came to be. Through interactive storytelling, students take on roles of the different zodiac animals. They also uncover the mythological development of the Chinese dragon, learning that the dragon is a peaceful, benevolent creature, much revered in Chinese cultures. In celebration of the Chinese New Year, each student receives a hong bao, or red envelope, for good luck. ***This presentation is only available in January and February.

Audience: K - 6th Grade
Time: 60 Minutes
Fee: $60

Window Flowers: The Art of Chinese Paper Cutting

This presentation familiarizes students with everyday symbols and then uses this skill to analyze symbolism in art. By learning the distinctive features of this Chinese folk art, they will learn how to distinguish Chinese art from other world art forms. Students play a matching game and use their knowledge of Chinese paper cut-outs. Lastly, they get to try their hand at making their own paper cut-outs!

Audience: 2nd - 6th Grade
Time: 60 minutes
Fee: $60

The Rise and Fall of the Qin Dynasty

The building of the Great Wall, the unification of China, and the ending of centuries of war are depicted in this presentation about the First Emperor of China, Shi Huangdi. Students get to play the roles of influential characters of the Qin Dynasty and experience how society was run during Legalist rule. Mysticism is touched on as the Emperor searches for the elixir of immortality that would enable him to rule forever!

Audience: 6th grade
Time: 90 minutes
Fee: $60

The Art of Chinese Writing

This presentation explores the history and development of Chinese characters, which were originally based on pictures. Chinese remains the only written language to use pictographs today. The goal of this lesson is to demystify the Chinese written language and show that it has a rational basis. Students will learn to recognize a collection of Chinese characters. They will also have to explore brush painting and become their own calligraphers!

Audience: 7th - 12th Grade
Time: 60 - 90 minutes
Fee: $60

Calligraphy

Learn to count in Chinese. Students learn about the concept of language and how writing is a universal communication tool in China. Students watch their name written in calligraphy by museum staff teacher and receive worksheets to practice writing numbers with Chinese characters.

Audience: 1st - 6th Grade
Time: 60 minutes
Fee: $60

The Voyages of Zheng He

Explore the world of the Ming Dynasty with the massive armada of Zheng He. Students will learn the reasons behind the rise and fall of Chinese maritime exploration; contrast the Ming tribute system with European colonialism and evaluate the positions of scholars, merchants and eunuchs in traditional Chinese society. They will also use their creativity to plan a voyage of their own!

Audience: 7th - 9th Grade
Time: 90 minutes
Fee: $60

Marco Polo and the Mongol Empire

Witness Genghis Khan conquer the largest continuous empire the world has ever known. Learn the reasons behind the spread of the Mongol Empire and how it enabled Marco Polo to embark on his incredible journeys. Learn about the nomadic Mongolian lifestyle, the founding of the Yuan Dynasty and the impact of Marco Polo's travels on future exploration. Students also review Asian geography when they trace the travels of the Polos and map the greatest extent of the Mongol Empire.

Audience: 4th - 7th Grade
Time: 90 minutes
Fee: $60

The Culture and History of China in Broad Strokes

Trace the history of one of the oldest and most influential civilizations on earth. Observe the impact of the three great teachings of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. Watch the development of traditional arts as dynasties rise and fall in accord with the Mandate of Heaven. This primer in Chinese culture and history extends from the centralization of authority under the Qin Dynasty, through the turbulent Republican and Maoist eras into the modern day.

Audience: 9th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 minutes
Fee: $60

Asian Pacific Islander Americans and the Formation of San Diego

Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Month this May with a specialized lecture about immigrants from Asia and the Pacific who have made contributions to San Diego history. From the pioneering spirit of William Heath Davis, to Ah Quin: the unofficial mayor of San Diego's Chinatown, to the growth of Japanese agriculture and the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees, learn how San Diego became a unique and diverse place to live.

Audience: All ages
Time: 15 - 60 minutes
Fee: $60

Curator Presentations
*Curator Presentations can be conducted at the museum or your site. Presentations at the museum are limted to 35 attendees. Larger groups allowed, if not conducted at the museum.

In Search of Gold Mountain, The History of the Chinese in San Diego, CA (illustrated by historic 35mm slides)

This presentation explains why, when, and from what part of China, the Chinese emigrated, how they came to America and in what activities they engaged, especially in California and San Diego.

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60

The Story of Ah Quin

There is no other person in the early history of the Chinese, who is more deserving of being called the patriarch of the Chinese community, than Ah Quin. He stands with the founding fathers of San Diego along with the likes of Alonzo Horton and George Marston.

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60

The Asian Pacific Historic District and Old Chinatown (includes walking tour of APHD)

This presentation includes a description of what San Diego's Chinatown was like at the turn-of-the-century. San Diego was a port town and a wild west town with its fair share of vices.

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60

The Chinese Fishing Industry of San Diego

Fishing was a familiar activity for many of the Chinese who came from the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province of China; therefore it was understandable that the early Chinese immigrants would take up this activity in the bountiful waters off the California coast.

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60

The Land of Fusang (illustrated with overhead transparencies)

Fusang was the name the Chinese gave to the area of Mexico due to the prevalence of the fusang tree, or century plant (agave americana). It was a land which Hwui Shan, a mendicant Buddhist priest visited on an evangelistic inspired voyage from China in 458 A.D.

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60

Grandfather's Bones (illustrated with overhead transparencies)

This presentations recounts the story of the Curator's own grandfather's journey to America. "My grandfather was the first member of my family to emigrate from China to America. It was grandfather's destiny to go overseas to seek his fortune. He traveled to America like many of his fellow villagers before him to work on the construction of the railroads in the Western United States."

Audience: 4th Grade - Adult
Time: 90 Minutes
Fee: $60