What Programs and Resources Does CHCP Offer?

Updated

The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP) offers a museum, an education section with a virtual library, a grants program, a traveling exhibit, and two featured initiatives — Chinatown Archaeology and the WWII Veterans Project — alongside outreach events and community activities. It is a nonprofit founded in 1987 and based in Santa Clara County, California, sharing Chinese and Chinese American history with Silicon Valley and beyond. These resources suit teachers, students, researchers, community groups, and anyone planning a visit or partnership in the San Jose area.

Education and the Virtual Library

The site's Education section and Virtual Library are the starting points for learning about Chinese and Chinese American history without traveling to a physical location. Use them when you need background reading, classroom material, or context before a museum visit. Because the site organizes these as separate sections, browse both rather than assuming one covers the other.

Grants and the Traveling Exhibit

CHCP lists a Grants program and a Traveling Exhibit as distinct offerings. The Traveling Exhibit is the relevant option if you want to bring CHCP content to a school, library, or community venue rather than visit the museum. The Grants program is listed as a site section; specific eligibility, amounts, and deadlines are not stated in the available page content, so confirm details directly with CHCP before planning around them.

Featured Initiatives

Initiative What it covers
Chinatown Archaeology Archaeology of San Jose's historic Chinatown
WWII Veterans Project Stories and recognition of Chinese American WWII veterans

Both appear as named projects on the site, making them useful entry points if your interest is local history or military service history rather than general overviews.

Museum, Events, and Outreach

The Chinese American Historical Museum at 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, CA 95112, anchors the in-person side of CHCP. The events calendar mixes CHCP-hosted activities with community events, so check the organizer label before you go. Examples from the listing include:

  • CHCP events: a San José Roots Celebration at San Pedro Square Market, a Veterans Day commemoration at the museum, and museum open/closed days around holidays such as Dia de Muertos and Thanksgiving.
  • Community events: film festival screenings, book talks, genealogy seminars on finding Taiwanese and Chinese roots, and online webinars.

Outreach activities extend the same mission beyond the museum walls, and the site also lists membership, donation, and volunteer options under Support.

How to Choose What to Use

  • Learning or teaching: start with Education and the Virtual Library.
  • Bringing content to your venue: look at the Traveling Exhibit.
  • Funding a project: review the Grants section and confirm terms with CHCP.
  • Visiting or attending: use the museum address and events calendar, noting whether each event is CHCP-run or community-run.
  • Getting involved: use the Membership, Donate, or Volunteer pages.

To stay informed, the site offers a mailing list sign-up. Details such as grant amounts, exhibit booking requirements, and museum hours are not specified in the available page content, so verify them with CHCP directly.