Visitors Will Find Stories of Resilience and Courage at the Angel Island Immigration Museum

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA – January 25, 2022) The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) and California State Parks are pleased to announce the opening of the Angel Island Immigration Museum (AIIM) at Angel Island State Park. The new museum building opened to the public on January 22.

From 1910 to 1940, over 500,000 persons from 80 different countries were processed or detained at the former U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island. While sometimes referred to as the “Ellis Island of the West”, Angel Island’s immigration station was built to enforce the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and similar immigration policies that sought to keep Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants from entering the nation.

“AIIM is an important addition to the site. Its exhibits complement the histories and stories of immigrant detention and interrogation that are currently featured in the site’s Detention Barracks Museum,” stated AIISF’s Executive Director Edward Tepporn.

The new museum is in the site’s former hospital building. The repair and renovation of the building took over seven years and more than $14 million in public and private funding due to the significant disrepair and decay.

AIIM will open with three permanent exhibits. The In The Shadows exhibit draws parallels between historic and current-day detention. The Under the Microscope exhibit highlights the building’s former use as a hospital. The Opening Doors exhibit focuses on the strengths and contributions of immigrants then and now. Other rooms in the building will hold temporary, rotating exhibits as well as meeting spaces for day retreats, teambuilding events, and other programs.

“Learning about our past truly helps us understand the present,” said California State Parks Bay Area District Superintendent Maria Mowrey. “Visitors at the new Angel Island Immigration Museum will find fascinating stories of resilience and courage that are evident across many cultures today.”

There will be no entry fee for AIIM though visitors will need to take a ferry from either San Francisco or Tiburon to visit the site. Although the rest of the site is open Wednesdays through

Sundays, initially AIIM will be open on weekends only from 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. For more information and to plan a visit, go to www.aiisf.org/visit.

Please be COVID-19 Safe. State Parks continues to meet guidance from local and state public health officials as COVID-19 is still present and deadly. Current state guidance requires that masks must be worn in all indoor public settings, such as museums and visitor centers, irrespective of vaccine status through February 15, 2022. Read the latest COVID-19 guidance at COVID19.ca.gov.

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About AIISF

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) raises awareness of the experience of Immigration into America through the Pacific. In partnership with California State Parks, AIISF collects and preserves the rich stories and personal journeys of thousands of immigrants, and shares them with visitors and everyone living in America through education initiatives and public programs. Angel Island Immigration Station reminds us of the complicated history of immigration in America. It serves as a symbol of our willingness to learn from our past to ensure that our nation keeps its promise of liberty and freedom. To learn more, visit www.aiisf.org.

About AISP

Angel Island State Park is part of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration, and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. www.parks.ca.gov/angelisland

About California State Parks

California State Parks and the recreational programs supported by its divisions of Boating and Waterways, Historic Preservation, and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provide the opportunity for families, friends, and communities to connect. Off-highway motor vehicle recreation, boating activities, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, camping, rock climbing, tours, hikes, school group enrichment, and special events are just some of the activities enjoyed in 280 park units organized into 21 field districts throughout the state. Learn more at www.parks.ca.gov.

For More Information

Edward Tepporn
Executive Director, Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
etepporn@aiisf.org
(415) 658-7691