Hmong Cultural Center Museum

Hmong Cultural Center Museum

Exterior of the museum
Established	2021 (2021)
Location	375 University Avenue West, Suite 204, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Coordinates	44°57′22″N93°06′57″W / 44.9560°N 93.1158°W / 44.9560; -93.1158
Type	Ethnographic history
Executive director	Txongpao Lee
Website	hmongculturalcentermuseum.org

The Hmong Cultural Center Museum, situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is an institution operated by the Hmong Cultural Center dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage, history, and experiences of the Hmong people. It is one of the few museums in the United States dedicated to this Hmong culture.

Museum

The Twin Cities has the highest concentration of Hmong residents in the United States, with over 70,000 individuals belonging to this community, predominantly residing in and around St. Paul. ^[1] The museum opened in 2021 in a building that had housed the Hmong Cultural Center since 1992. ^[2] Racially-motivated vandalism to the museum's front windows delayed the museum's grand opening by several weeks. The incident sparked outrage and community support. Donations from individuals and corporations helped cover most of the repair and security costs. ^{[3] [4]}

Exhibits and displays

Museum director Txongpao Lee stated the museum "is not just for the Hmong people, but for everyone to come and learn more about Hmong history, art and culture" ^[2] Exhibits include musical instruments such as the qeej, informational panels on the Secret War and Hmong sports, including Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee, a theater display showing historical documentaries, and embroidered story cloths and traditional flower cloths, among other Hmong artistic works. ^[1]

Additional resources

The Hmong Cultural Center Museum also shares the Hmong Resource Center Library, which houses an extensive collection of Hmong-related literature and scholarly materials. ^{[5] [6]}

See also

• List of museums in Minnesota

References

1. "New Hmong Cultural Center Museum storefront space open with more room, more information". Twin Cities. December 30, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
2. Willms, Jan (January 11, 2022). "Hmong Cultural Center Museum expands". Midway Como Frogtown Monitor. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
3. Johnson, Lauren M. (September 14, 2021). "Vandalism delays the opening of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum in Minnesota". CNN. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
4. "After racist vandalism, Hmong museum reopens stronger than before". NBC News. February 3, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
5. Staff, MNHS Reference. "LibGuides: Hmong-Americans in Minnesota: More". libguides.mnhs.org. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
6. "A visit to St. Paul's multi-faceted Hmong Cultural Center | Minitex". minitex.umn.edu. April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2024.