Last week we got an exclusive preview of the Learning Lab at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, a couple of days before its grand opening the following weekend.
This is an extension to the Storytelling Centre, located at its basement. And the first cultural hub of its kind, focusing on the Canadian-Chinese history.
The space is meant to be a recreation of Vancouver’s Chinatown in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. The goal is to give guest an accurate look at what Chinatown’s robust night and life use to be and where it can be once again.
This took the Chinatown Foundation team 3.5 years to put together. All of it well researched, where everything is carefully staged and not done random. Its design is meant to solicit memories and emotions as guests share in the sights, like time travelling.
There are two ways to enter, but it is advised from the street entrance and down the stairs for the full experience. We were given a brisk tour, then had free rein to explore for ourselves. The following are a few notable sights and notes I took as points of interest.
You are greeted by plum blossom at the entry way. This is apart of the Chinatown Foundation’s logo and can also been seen on the exterior of the Storytelling Centre. As the flower blooms in winter, it is seen as a symbol of resiliency and overcoming hardship; which also speaks to the foundation and its works.
The hallway leading into the main area is plastered with replicas of movie posters past. There use to be three theatres within the Hastings and Chinatown area, which is news to me.
The exhibit as a whole is a series of facades, businesses come and gone. They have all been recreated with help from a professional prop master, and focuses on on prominent businesses that provided work and support in the microcosm that was once peak Chinatown.
Pender Guy Studios was a Chinese Canadian youth radio station. This was created as a platform for the DJs to share their stories as they felt not quite Chinese nor really Canadian. You as a visitor, can open the door and walk into the room. Sitting in the studio chairs, dawning on head phones, and actually playing their original jingle with a push of a button.
Marco Polo was a popular night club for artists of colour. They hope to host events and talks in the Learning Lab, like how this club once served the community.
Green Door Restaurant and Ho Inn Chop Suey served authentic Chinese cuisine. The latter was a Hong Kong cafe well beloved for their apple tarts. Sadly that recipe is long gone, but other new establishments like New Town Bakery has done their best to recreate it. At these cafes tables came with jukeboxes where you can pay and play your own music. The facade here includes replicas of menu covers.
Gim Lee Yuen’s facade included real apothecary cupboards and herbs from over 100 years ago. This, as well as many of the Learning Lab’s other pieces were donated. They are particular with what pieces they accept and add into their collection, only accepting items with a story.
There was also a wedding moment, not a facade, but a display from 1960, depicting traditional wedding garments for a bride and groom and the would be silver dowry.
What sets their displays apart from other such exhibitions is the digital collection log with touch screen navigation. The data base allows you to scroll through 100k photos with a listing of 20k artifacts.
Across from it is full screen wall is the analog version, where you can open draws and discover the stories they keep.
The space also includes two rooms that could double as meeting spaces, that guests can book. The first is HY Louie Wholesale Grocers, whose descendent now owns London Drugs. The second, the Chinese Times Room, meant to mimic a printing shop.
For those interested, the entirety of the Learning Lab can be booked as a rental space for private functions and events.
In short, this was an interesting space to explore and a great way to preserve Chinese Canadian history. I can this helping to encourage future generations to learn and help preserve these stories. You can book your own guided tour at chinatownstorytellingcentre.org.
Chinatown Storytelling Centre
168 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T5
(604) 225-0055
chinatownstorytellingcentre.org
