Mai Wah Museum, Chinese heritage museum in Butte, United States
The Mai Wah Museum spans two connected buildings and houses over 2,500 artifacts documenting Butte's Asian community history. The collection includes original store goods, traditional objects, and documents from early Asian settlers spanning more than a century.
The story started in 1894 when Chin Hin Doon from Guangdong founded the Wah Chong Tai Company in Butte. His son Albert later expanded the business, leading to the construction of the buildings that now house the museum.
The museum displays how Chinese merchants and their families lived and worked in Butte through everyday items and business records. Visitors see the material world of early Asian settlers and understand their role in the town's development.
The museum is open during warmer months and visitors should allow time to explore both buildings and their connected exhibition spaces. The location is walkable in downtown Butte, though checking opening days in advance helps plan your visit better.
A notable feature is the Wah Chong Tai Mercantile, the only surviving original Chinese store from the early 1900s in the United States. Walking through this preserved shop space reveals how trade worked and what products served the local community back then.
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