Marcella B. Chin Dear Collection, 2006

In 2006, MOCA acquired its single largest collection, which was donated by longtime Chinatown resident Marcella B. Chin Dear. The Chin family came to New York in 1800s and established a series of successful business ventures. The most well-known was the Rice Bowl Restaurant, which was touted as one of the first Chinese restaurants in Manhattan’s Chinatown to have air conditioning.

Marcella’s father had saved his family artifacts with the intention of opening a family museum, but when he passed away, his daughter donated the collection to MOCA. The collection is around 150 linear feet and contains textiles, imported books, vinyl records, game sets, instruments, family photographs, store signs, ceramics, and furniture. These artifacts document the life of a multigenerational Chinese American family in the United States.

美国华人博物馆在2006年间收到了博物馆最大的一个文物收藏，由久居唐人街的居民陈雪瑛捐赠。陈家于十九世纪迁至纽约，之后创办了一系列成功的企业。其中最知名的是大同酒家, 大同酒家被誉为曼哈顿唐人街第一家有空调的中餐馆。

陈雪瑛的父亲保存家中物品，曾打算开一个家庭博物馆。在他过世后，他的女儿把这些物品捐给了美国华人博物馆。这些文物总长约150英尺，包括纺织品、进口书籍、唱片、游戏套装、乐器、家庭照片、商店门牌、陶瓷器、和家具。这些文物记录了一个多代美国华裔家庭在美国的生活。