Our Vision
Building a cultural home that preserves stories, celebrates heritage, and fosters meaningful community connections — a landmark for Southern California and generations to come.
What does it mean to build a museum for the future?
For the Asian American Museum at Great Park (AAMGP), the answer goes beyond galleries and exhibitions. It means creating a place where history is preserved, cultures are celebrated, communities gather, and future generations can see themselves reflected in the stories around them.
Planned for Irvine's Great Park, AAMGP is a bold vision for Southern California — a vibrant cultural campus dedicated to sharing the diverse experiences, contributions, and stories of Asian Americans while creating opportunities for connection, learning, and dialogue across communities.
While the permanent museum is in early development, its mission is already taking shape through exhibitions, educational initiatives, community programs, and cultural experiences — laying the foundation for one of the region's most significant cultural institutions.
A cultural home Southern California has never had
Southern California is home to one of the largest and most diverse Asian American populations in the United States. In Orange County alone, more than 750,000 Asian Americans live, work, raise families, and contribute — from entrepreneurship and innovation to education, public service, arts, culture, and civic leadership.
Yet despite these contributions, the Asian American community has never had a dedicated institution of this scale devoted to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the breadth of Asian American experiences. AAMGP seeks to change that.
At a time when cultural understanding and representation matter more than ever, the museum is being built to foster connection, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the diverse voices that make the region unique.
3M+
Asian Americans across Southern California
750K+
Asian Americans in Orange County alone
First
Institution of this scale for Asian American stories in the region
A dynamic cultural destination
The vision for AAMGP extends beyond traditional expectations of what a museum can be. Rather than simply displaying artifacts behind glass, the museum is designed as a dynamic cultural destination where visitors engage with history, art, food, performance, education, and community in meaningful ways.
While the museum will celebrate Asian American history and culture, its purpose extends far beyond a single community. AAMGP is being built as a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to learn, connect, and better understand the diverse stories that shape our shared future.
Rising in Great Park's Cultural Terrace
Located within Great Park's Cultural Terrace, the planned museum campus represents an ambitious investment in a welcoming, open campus connected to the surrounding community — galleries, courtyards, gardens, performance spaces, and gathering areas designed for exploration and interaction from the moment visitors arrive.
220K
sq. ft. of total development
94K+
sq. ft. of potential exhibition space
400
seat auditorium and performance venue
9
approved acres in Great Park's Cultural Terrace
- Educational and conference spaces
- Restaurant and future Asian food hall
- Outdoor gathering areas and community event spaces
- Future expansion opportunities to serve generations to come
Technology rooted in authentic storytelling
AAMGP is envisioned as a future-focused institution that embraces emerging technologies while remaining deeply rooted in authentic storytelling. Interactive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and innovative learning environments will help visitors engage with history in new and meaningful ways.
By combining historical preservation with emerging technology, AAMGP aims to create experiences that inspire curiosity, dialogue, and discovery for generations to come.
Preserving stories beyond museum walls
Through the Living Archive, a digital storytelling platform, visitors can explore the people, places, and experiences that shaped Asian American communities — via interactive maps, photographs, oral histories, and community-contributed stories on a mobile app.
Current experiences include sites throughout Little Saigon, with future expansion planned across the region. Together, the museum and the Living Archive connect history not only to exhibits, but to the communities where it was made.
Explore HistoryBeyond the Galleries
Shaded walkways, landscaped courtyards, public plazas, and outdoor seating invite gathering, reflection, and cultural exchange — because culture is something we experience together.
Food as a Cultural Bridge
Food is more than nourishment — it is history, identity, migration, resilience, and community. Planned culinary programs and Rooted in Flavor use the table as a lens on Asian American stories.
Explore Rooted in Flavor
A Place for Gathering
Outdoor plazas, performance spaces, and flexible venues will support festivals, lectures, film screenings, artist showcases, and educational programming year-round — a museum that feels active and connected.
Building the museum before the building exists
Through pop-up exhibitions, educational initiatives, artist collaborations, cultural programming, and community partnerships, AAMGP is already bringing its mission to life — organized around four key pillars.
Arts & Culture
Exhibitions, performances, artist collaborations, and creative programming showcase the breadth of artistic expression across Asian American communities — including Color, Culture, Continuum: An Asian American Mosaic.
02History
Archival research, oral history projects, and storytelling initiatives preserve and share Asian American experiences — so important narratives endure for future generations.
03Education
Student-centered learning, school partnerships, docent programs, and educational resources create meaningful opportunities for cultural understanding and lifelong learning.
04Culinary
Food is a powerful entry point into identity, migration, heritage, and belonging. Through Rooted in Flavor and future culinary programs, guests explore culture around the table.
Integrity
& Honor
To preserve the integrity of our cultural past while honoring the voices of those who shaped it.
Empower
Stories
To provide a vibrant cultural home that celebrates Asian American heritage and empowers future generations.
Inclusive
Future
To be a premier cultural landmark that fosters inclusivity, understanding, and shared pride.
Not just a museum — a cultural home
Museums preserve history. They protect stories that might otherwise be forgotten. But the Asian American Museum at Great Park is about more than preserving the past.
It is about creating a future where every generation can see themselves reflected in the stories around them — where cultural understanding strengthens communities, and where the diverse experiences of Asian Americans are recognized as an essential part of the American story.
Together, we are not just creating a museum. We are building a cultural home for generations to come.
A growing movement — not just a future building
Whether you're attending a program, sharing your story, exploring the Living Archive, or following our progress, there are many ways to be part of this journey.
The museum is being built with our community at its core. What stories should be preserved? What experiences would inspire you to visit? What programs would make the museum welcoming and meaningful for you and your family?
Stay in the Loop
Together, let's celebrate stories, foster understanding, and build a vibrant future.