Museum of Chinese in America Brings Home Fire-Damaged Artifacts
May 2020, Photo: Karlin Chan
Some heartening news to report from the Museum of Chinese in America. The archives are coming home.
After a devastating five-alarm fire destroyed the roof and upper floors of 70 Mulberry Street back in January, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services rescued roughly one hundred boxes of archival material from the museum’s research center. Recovery efforts continued despite the pandemic, and weren’t in vain: over 85,000 artifacts were recovered and returned to MOCA after nine months of rehab.
“MOCA has had a long journey to this day,” Nancy Yao Maasbach, Museum President, said in a statement. In the past nine months, MOCA has not missed a beat. In addition to extracting more than 85,000 items out of the fire-torn building, the team has worked ceaselessly to create a plan for full recovery.”
This all during the institution’s 40th anniversary celebration. Yet, despite the obstacles, they’ve received some financial encouragement. MOCA was recently awarded a $3 million grant from the Ford Foundation, along with other leading U.S. foundations and donors, and has been selected as one of 20 “America’s Cultural Treasures” for their role as significant national anchors for artistic and cultural diversity in America.
The museum is still closed to the public, but offers a variety of digital, web, social media, and outdoor offerings.
Photo: FDNY
Recent Stories
Out on the Essex Street ‘Fiore Escape’
The fire escape spectacle entertained Essex Street anew. Friday evening, Lower East Sider Jill Fiore again stepped onto her tenement fire escape at 29 Essex for a short concert. Fiore was flanked by bandmates Derek Cruz on lead guitar, Dave Spinley on saxophone, and Joan Chew on bass. Like previous Fiore Escape outings, this one […]
It Was a Deadly Weekend of Shootings and Stabbings on the Lower East Side
This was a deadly weekend of shootings and stabbings on the Lower East Side, with a 16-year-old boy and 51-year-old delivery worker both fatalities. It began Friday evening at around 8:30pm when a 16-year-old boy was shot in the face on Delancey Street, near Suffolk. Six shots had been fired in the incident, which left […]
16-Year-Old Fatally Shot in the Face on Delancey Street Last Night
A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed on Delancey Street last night, near the on-ramp to the Williamsburg Bridge, cops said. The teenager was shot in the face near the corner of Suffolk at about 8:30pm. Right at the foot of Essex Crossing. First responders rushed the boy, who was unconscious, to Bellevue Hospital for […]
CBGB Shut Down 15 Years Ago on the Bowery
Fifteen years ago. This was the night – arguably – that the last breath of punk exhaled on the Bowery. When CBGB concluded its residence at 315 Bowery. And the block could not look any different today. The former venue became, and remains, the upscale John Varvatos boutique; while its old CB’s Gallery space is […]
MOSCOT Launches New Chromeo Collaboration with in-Store Performance
MOSCOT recently launched a new collaboration with popular electro-funk duo Chromeo. To celebrate, the eyewear company is hosting a live performance of the group at its Orchard Street flagship tonight. According to the press release, the new “luxurious capsule collection” features two limited edition frame styles co-designed by David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” […]
