World’s first Chinese queer museum opens in San Francisco’s Chinatown

World’s first Chinese queer museum opens in San Francisco’s Chinatown

The "Out Museum," described as the worlds first Chinese queer museum, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in San Franciscos Chinatown.

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco is now home to a unique new museum showcasing the work of Chinese LGBTQ artists, bringing a wave of excitement and pride to the community.

The world's first Chinese queer museum

The "Out Museum," located in San Francisco's Chinatown, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

The establishment is described by its founder as the world's first Chinese queer museum.

What they're saying:

Founder and LGBTQ activist Xiang Qui Chen, who moved to San Francisco from China, said the museum is a way to educate, inspire, and promote visibility for the Chinese LGBTQ community in her adopted city.

"I personally love the city, I love Chinatown," Chen said through an interpreter. "I find that a lot of the LGBTQ community is not as visible as I would like it to be. Hopefully, having this museum will connect everyone and bring the community together."

Dig deeper:

The museum's opening exhibits feature artwork and the written word depicting the history of China's LGBTQ populations from the past into the present day. 

Among the featured artists is Dixon Ngai, who moved to San Francisco from Hong Kong. 

Ngai, whose showcased work includes a porcelain Chinese wine holder, also performed a Cantonese opera as part of the grand opening festivities.

Ngai shared that he came out in San Francisco, describing it as a place where he is free to be himself. 

"Here it inspired me a lot, how to keep the social movement and connect with the community," Ngai said. "We can use our own material, our background, to tell our own story."

A beacon and a sanctuary

Supporters and community members view the museum as a sanctuary for self-expression and a beacon of hope.

"It's a physical space to say that we exist," said Helen Zia, an advisory board member for the Out Museum. "Not only that, we have beauty in our lives that comes out in the artwork that we do, the performances, the books we write."

Community member Y.Y. Zhu emphasized the impact of the location, noting the significance of having the Out Museum in Chinatown to provide a place of belonging for disparate communities.

What you can do:

The museum is a labor of love and is staffed by volunteers. 

While admission to the museum is free, visitors are required to RSVP online.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU