Museum of Chinese in America

Museum of Chinese in America or MOCA started off in 1980 as the New York Chinatown History Project by historian John Kuo Wei Tchen and community resident/activist Charles Lai. Housed in what Architectural Digest says is among Maya Lin's most memorable designs within the triangle that links SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown. Known as the preeminent museum of Chinese American culture and history in the U.S., the collections comprise more than 60,000 letters, documents, business records along with oral histories, clothing, textiles and precious photos. The Core exhibit is designed around the heart of the museum, a light-filled courtyard like the rooms of a traditional Chinese house. Today, MOCA offers the Chinatown Food Tour and From Coffeehouses to Banquet Halls Walking Tours.