On September 18, 2009, a devastating fire swept through the Chinese-American Museum’s century-old building. Much of the building and its contents were destroyed, either by fire, or the flooding that followed. There was immediate and overwhelming response from many people and organizations, including several of Chicago’s well-established museums. In addition, many community members came forward with new artifacts for the collection.

This exhibit documents the fire and its aftermath. Included are some of the destroyed objects, as well as a meticulously restored adoption document that had been badly damaged by water.