On January 26, 2020, the California Museum hosted the opening exhibit – Gold Mountain: Chinese California Stories. The VIP breakfast was sponsored and hosted by the following donors and community organizations: Dr. Herbert Yee and Yee family, Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs Association and the US China Railroad Friendship Association. The guest speakers included: State Controller Betty T. Yee, Senator Richard Pan, Journalist Lisa Ling, CC Yin, and Amanda Blake. Lisa Ling about her experiences as a Journalist while Lawrence Tom spoke about his new book titled, The Last Chinatown. At 1 pm, the Lion Dancers showcase the opening of the Gold Mountain exhibit.
In addition, there was a special documentary shown by a former Set-Designer wo worked at Walt Disney studios. The documentary describes a miniature house designed against a San Francisco Chinatown environment. The creator passionately spoke of the fond memories going through each room showing the delicate colors and textures of hand-made furniture – from a kitchen scene to a living room filled with colorful furniture.
The exhibit showcases the Chinese contribution from the Gold Rush Days to the current period. The museum tastefully separated scenes through literature, photos, artifacts, and video-recordings: Gold Rush, Delta reclamation, Angel Island, Chinese medicine.
