Chinese Historical Society of America

Name

Chinese Historical Society of America

Legal name

Chinese Historical Society of America

Website

https://chsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum and Historical Society

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Cultural museum services
• Historical society operations
• Community education programs
• Archival collection management
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Revenue from ticket sales to the museum and special exhibits. Discounted admission prices for youth, students, seniors, military veterans, and adults.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues at multiple tiers including Individual ($50), Student/Senior/Educator ($30), Family ($60), Contributor ($100), Sponsor ($250), Patron ($500), and President's Circle ($1,000).
3. Event Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting museum spaces including the Main Floor (We Are Bruce Lee Gallery, Courtyard, Hallway) and Learning Center for events, exhibitions, performances, weddings, corporate retreats, and other private events.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Sales of original publications, books on Chinese American and Asian American history, art, merchandise, and Bruce Lee branded items through the onsite and online gift shop.
5. Donations and Grants: Contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and public agencies. Includes employer-matching gifts, memorial/honor donations, and Legacy Wall Campaign contributions. CHSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
6. Publications Sales: Annual peer-reviewed journal 'Chinese America: History & Perspectives' and other scholarly publications available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHSA operates a museum and cultural institution in San Francisco that documents, studies, and presents Chinese American history through permanent and rotating exhibits, educational programs, and community events. It also runs a tiered membership program, an onsite and online gift shop, venue rentals in a Julia Morgan-designed landmark building, and an annual peer-reviewed scholarly journal. Supporting offerings include docent-led tours, teacher resources, and nationwide programs such as Lion Dance Across America and the Chinese American GI Project.

Product overview

The Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) operates as a nonprofit museum and cultural institution offering a single integrated portfolio of programs and services centered on documenting and presenting Chinese American history. The core offering is the CHSA Museum at 965 Clay Street in San Francisco, featuring permanent exhibits (We Are Bruce Lee, Chinese Laundries in the U.S.) and rotating exhibitions. Supporting offerings include the Gift Shop (powered by Square e-commerce), a tiered Membership Program, Educational Tours (walking tours and virtual tours), Event Rentals at the Julia Morgan-designed venue, the annual Chinese America: History & Perspectives peer-reviewed journal, and specialized programs like the Chinese American GI Project and Lion Dance Across America initiative. CHSA's collections include approximately 22,000 artifacts currently undergoing modernization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We Are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family: A landmark exhibition dedicated to Bruce Lee, the Chinese American martial artist and actor born in San Francisco Chinatown in 1940.
• Chinese Laundries in the U.S.
• Wong Kim Ark: I Am an American
• Lion Dance Across America
• Chinese America: History & Perspectives

Products and services

• CHSA Museum Physical museum open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am-5pm, featuring permanent and rotating exhibits on Chinese American history and culture, located at 965 Clay Street, San Francisco.
• Membership Program Tiered annual membership program providing unlimited admission, gift shop discounts, newsletter subscriptions, exclusive events, and access to ROAM and NARM museums.
• Gift Shop Onsite and online gift shop selling books on Chinese American and Asian American history, art, local artist works, Bruce Lee merchandise, and cultural items.
• Event Venue Rentals Rental of museum spaces including the Main Floor (We Are Bruce Lee Gallery, Courtyard, Hallway) and Learning Center for events, exhibitions, performances, weddings, corporate retreats, and private events.
• Educational Tours Docent-led tours including Chinatown History Walking Tour, Chinatown Food Walking Tour, Bruce Lee Docent Tour, and Virtual Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion Tour.
• Chinese America: History & Perspectives Journal Annual peer-reviewed journal published by CHSA covering all aspects of Chinese American history and culture, edited by Jonathan H. X. Lee.
• Chinese Laundries in the U.S. Exhibit Multimedia exhibit exploring the historical roots and ongoing legacy of Chinese laundry businesses in America, featuring student collaborations from San Francisco State University and Academy of Art University.
• Wong Kim Ark Mural: 'I Am an American' Mural by Twin Walls Mural Company honoring Wong Kim Ark, whose legal battle established birthright citizenship in the U.S., located at Sacramento Street and Grant Avenue.
• Chinese American GI Project Multimedia and national exhibition project preserving and sharing stories of Chinese American men and women who served since the American Civil War, featuring oral histories and military memorabilia.
• CHSA Collections Archival collection of nearly 22,000 Chinese and Chinese American historical artifacts currently being digitized and modernized.
• Teacher Resources Educational materials and curriculum guides for K-12 educators teaching about immigration policies, birthright citizenship, and Chinese American history.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lion Dance Across America initiative engaging 30+ lion dance teams across the United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lion Dance Teams (30+ teams nationwide)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2026Community lion dance teams from across the United States participating in the Lion Dance Across America initiative for America's 250th anniversary, performing in Independence Day parades from coast to coast.
• United Asian-Americans (UCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026National partner for the Lion Dance Across America initiative celebrating America's 250th anniversary. This nationwide initiative involves dragon and lion dance teams participating in Independence Day celebrations across the country, highlighting Chinese American civic participation.
• San Francisco State University Asian American Studies DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Academic partnership for the 'Chinese Laundries in the U.S.' exhibit. Students conducted in-depth historical research, developed interpretive wall text, and conducted oral history interviews with laundry business owners past and present.
• Academy of Art UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Academic partnership for the 'Chinese Laundries in the U.S.' exhibit. Students and faculty created original illustrations and visual narratives inspired by archival materials, oral histories, and the legacy of laundry work in Chinese American communities.
• Chinatown History & Culture AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 May 2024Co-sponsor of the annual Cultural Festival in Chinatown, a community event promoting Chinatown's small businesses, deep history, and live culture. The festival includes lion dance performances, martial arts, Chinese opera, and other cultural programming.
• Helen and Joe Chew FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganized the Lion Dance Across America initiative to commemorate a 1908 parade appearance and preserve local heritage. The foundation aims to highlight Chinese American community contributions through cultural celebrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• Japanese American National Museum: Major Asian American heritage museum in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo. Closely comparable operating model to CHSA: nonprofit, ethnic-specific cultural heritage institution with permanent collection, exhibitions, educational programming, and community engagement focus.
• Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA): The leading Chinese American history museum in New York City. Most direct peer to CHSA—same ethnic-specific mission, museum-based programming, archives, exhibitions, and educational programming for the Chinese American diaspora.
• Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience: Pan-Asian American history and culture museum with strong emphasis on community storytelling and curated exhibitions. Directly comparable to CHSA as a community-rooted Asian American heritage institution with tours, exhibits, and educational programming.
• California Historical Society: Statewide California-focused historical society with archives, exhibitions, and publications. Comparable to CHSA as a historical society operating a museum with artifact collections, scholarly programming, and membership-based nonprofit model.
• Chinese American Museum (Los Angeles): Chinese American heritage museum located in downtown Los Angeles. Comparable to CHSA in subject matter focus (Chinese American history), nonprofit operating structure, and exhibition-based programming model.

Regional players

• Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Major Asian-themed art museum in the same San Francisco market as CHSA. Comparable as a regional cultural institution serving overlapping audiences with exhibitions, education, and membership programs, though broader in scope.
• Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation: Historic site and museum in San Francisco Bay documenting Chinese and Asian immigration to America. Directly relevant peer given overlapping subject matter (Chinese American immigration history) and same regional market.
• Oakland Museum of California: Bay Area history and culture museum. Comparable as a regional museum/heritage institution with permanent collection, rotating exhibits, educational programming, and event venue rentals in the same California market.
• Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj): Asian American heritage museum in the San Francisco Bay Area. Comparable to CHSA as a small-staff community heritage museum with exhibits, events, and educational programming focused on Asian American history.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: National Smithsonian unit focused on Asian Pacific American history and culture. Comparable as a major institutional player in the same subject matter with exhibitions, educational content, and national reach, though operating at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chsamuseum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/chsamuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/chsamuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chinese-historical-society-of-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/chsamuseum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chinese Historical Society of America