Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: How museums can honor and celebrate

Chinese dragon entry in the Battle of Flowers Parade, taken during the parade, San Antonio, Texas. *From the Free to Use and Reuse: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month collection, Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress.*

May is designated as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage (AANHPI) Month, a time to honor and celebrate the historic contributions of Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities in the United States. This observance originated with a congressional resolution in 1978, initially as a week-long celebration, and was expanded to a full month in 1992. It acknowledges the significant roles that AANHPI communities have played in the nation’s development and their continuing impact on its cultural, social, and economic fabric. Throughout the month, events and activities nationwide highlight the diverse stories, traditions, and achievements of AANHPI individuals. Join us in honoring them throughout this special month and beyond.

Explore related resources from AAM:

» AAM Resource Library topic on DEAI & Anti-racism

» New Report: The Next Horizon of Museum Practice: Voluntary Repatriation, Restitution, and Reparations addresses, among other descendent communities, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific and the Americas.

Creating Belonging to Combat Anti-Asian Hate and Protect our Elders Keynote by Daphne Kwok at the Museum Summit on Creative Aging (2021)

It Is Time to Include AANHPIs In Museum Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Efforts by Edward Tepporn

Building Cultural Empathy by Dr. Jay Xu

Articles and stories from across the museum field:

Welcoming Change at the USC Pacific Asia Museum by Valentina M. Quezada in Museum magazine

“The Importance of Memory”: A Conversation with Amy Tan by Susannah Cassedy O’Donnell in Museum magazine

“I learned how to trick self-driving cars at a San Francisco museum“ from SFGATE

“Start your day in Little Tokyo celebrating Giant Robot, end at these artist-approved gems“ from Los Angeles Times

Opinion: “Asian Americans have been overlooked. This could help change that.“ from The Washington Post

“American Museums Keep the Spotlight on Korean Art“ from The New York Times

“Ignored in Life, Bernice Bing Is Discovered as Museums Rewrite History“ from The New York Times

“Transcultural Trade and the History of Asian American Heritage” from The MET

“You Can Now Explore 200 Years of Chinese American History Online” from Smithsonian Magazine

“The Initiative Preserving the Past and Securing the Future of Asian American Art” from Frieze

“Barrier-breaking exhibition at S.F.’s Asian Art Museum empowers Asian, AAPI artists” from San Francisco Chronicle

“Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage” from The MET

“National Museum of Asian Art Presents “Shifting Boundaries: Perspectives on American Landscapes” from Smithsonian

“This Spring, Visit These Can’t-Miss Exhibits Showcasing Asian American Culture” from AFAR

“Harn Museum of Art’s newest Asian exhibition tells a colorful history for all audiences to enjoy” from WUFT

“A Culinary Collaboration Between San Francisco’s Proper Hotel and the Asian Art Museum” from Nob Hill Gazette

“Art & Identity: Susquehanna Art Museum exhibit explores the stories, the sentiments of local Asian Americans” from The Burg

“Asian-American Art Is Plagued by Generational Amnesia” from Hyperallergic

“How Museum Tours are Lifting Up Seattle’s Historic Chinatown-International District” about the Wing Luke Museum, on the blog of the Institute for Museum and Library Services

Additional resources from:

Federal Asian Pacific American Council:

AANHPI Resource Center

Library of Congress:

Free to Use and Reuse: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage – A series of videos that highlight the breadth of artistic achievement in the AAPI community.

National Archives:

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month has research resources, video discussions, magazine articles, and educational materials for students, educators, and historians.

National Endowment for the Arts:

“Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” by NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD (May, 2024)

National Endowment for the Humanities:

Teacher’s Guide to AAPI Heritage in the United States

Information for Pacific Islanders

National Park Service:

AANHPI Heritage Month – NPS Commemorations and Celebrations (U.S. National Park Service)

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center:

The AANHPI Heritage Month page includes events, resources, podcast episodes, and Smithsonian exhibitions that tell the diversity of Asian American stories.

Inspiration for how you or your museum might get involved:

Get inspiration from other museums in May or throughout the year:

The Field Museum offers public programming, including musical performances, seminar series, family story times, scavenger hunts, and reading lists that celebrate AAPI culture.
The National Museum of Asian Art’s annual IlluminAsia Festival was created for visitors to celebrate, convene, learn, reflect, and foster connections through Asian arts and cultures.
The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History opened an exhibit honoring Asian American and Pacific Islanders’ contributions to STEM. The Periodic Hall exhibition features individuals like microbiologist Flossie Wong-Staal, known for her HIV and AIDS research, and Ellison Onizuka, the first Japanese-American astronaut.
Asia Society Texas (AST) created Explore Asia, an immersive exhibition highlighting five Asian countries across six unique experiences.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosted a storytime, where author Anu Sehgal read her book I Am a Lotus, followed by Lotus meditation and movement activities, temporary lotus tattoos, and an art-making session.
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens celebrated with family-friendly events that showcase the traditions and contemporary expressions of AAPI cultures, including garden walks, taiko drumming performances, and a ceremonial tea demonstration.
Museum of Discovery and Science hosted a special event featuring a butterfly release, dance, drumming, martial arts performances, art exhibits, origami, animal encounters, IMAX screenings, career connections, and activities for early learners.

Sharing with the field

Did your museum honor or celebrate AANHIP heritage in May, or any time of year? Consider pitching an idea about your museum’s work with your community, how your museum worked internally on the initiative or program, or another relevant angle for museum professionals. We are always looking for posts that empower museum professionals to do their best work; reveal new ideas and connections; and speak to a wide breadth of museum types, sizes, and disciplines.

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