Hirasaki National Resource Center
Since its inception in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum has chronicled more than 130 years of Japanese American history—from the first Issei generation through the World War II incarceration to the present-day. In 1999, the museum established the Manabi and Sumi Hirasaki National Resource Center (HNRC) to ensure that the story of Japanese Americans remains accessible to everyone.
Hirasaki National Resource Center
Located within the heart of JANM, the HNRC serves family historians, students, researchers, writers, and other museum visitors with access to reference books, films, and certain government records.
The HNRC remains closed to the public while JANM’s Pavilion is under construction. The Center will reopen in late 2026 in a new space on JANM’s renovated second floor.
What services may I access when visiting in person at JANM?
The HNRC is a non-lending library. Print, online, and film resources are available for viewing in the HNRC. Books and other printed material cover a range of topics related to the Japanese American experience and include primary and secondary sources, photography and art books, military unit memoirs, diaries, oral history transcripts, and children’s books. A small collection of videos, including documentaries and a selection of JANM’s home movies are available to view on-site. Tablets and public computers offer access to online databases such as the Japanese American Military Experience Database. Volunteers can assist visitors with researching records related to their family history.