A new national museum dedicated to the history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders could be on the horizon, and former Rep. Michelle Steel is part of the team exploring how to make it happen.
Earlier this month, Speaker Mike Johnson selected Steel — a Republican who previously represented California’s 45th Congressional District — to serve on the bipartisan commission that will study the feasibility of establishing the museum. The eight-member commission was established by legislation from Rep. Grace Meng, D-New York, which became law in June 2022.
“Asian Americans have a rich history that is filled with struggle and triumph, and it is one that deserves to be memorialized for future generations of American citizens,” Steel, one of the first Korean American women to serve in Congress, said in a statement.
The commission’s work – it’ll have 18 months once it convenes – will include exploring possible museum locations in Washington, D.C., considering funding options and assessing whether the museum could be part of the Smithsonian Institution. As outlined in the 2022 bill, the group will collaborate with historians, scholars and community leaders to ensure that any future museum tells a comprehensive story of AAPI history, if it moves forward.
Supporters of the museum say it will help fill a gap in national historical representation. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played key roles in U.S. history, from Chinese laborers who helped build the country’s first transcontinental railroad to Japanese Americans’ internment during World War II.
“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped our nation since its founding. From the struggles we’ve endured to the accomplishments we’ve made, it’s time for more Americans, and our future generations, to know our story,” Meng said when the bill was signed into law. “And a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture would provide the physical space for people to learn how we have helped make America the country that it is today.”
The push for an AAPI museum follows the model of other recent additions to the National Mall, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016, and the forthcoming National Museum of the American Latino. The latter, operating a 4,500-square-foot gallery within the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, has a goal of opening its permanent building in the early 2030s.
The commission is on its own when it comes to funding. Under the law, it must rely entirely on private contributions to cover its expenses — no federal money can be used to support its work. Commissioners cannot be federal government employees.
According to the Friends of the National Asian Pacific American Museum, the independent nonprofit supporting the commission, Congress could approve the creation of the museum as early as 2027. If approved, the museum could open its doors in 2036.
However, commissions to study the creation of the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum were established in 2008 and 2014, respectively, but Congress didn’t approve either museum until 2020. Neither museum has a permanent location yet.
James Kwon, a spokesperson for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, chaired by Meng, said CAPAC expects the final commissioner to be appointed “very soon,” but did not provide a specific timeline. Kwon also did not respond to questions about why there was more than a two-year delay in launching the commission after the legislation was signed into law.
Steel served in Congress for four years, representing much of Orange County’s Little Saigon, home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam. In 2019, while serving as a county supervisor, President Donald Trump appointed Steel to co-chair the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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