THE JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM CELEBRATES 30th ANNIVERSARY WITH THE THEME OF “HONORING OUR HISTORY, REIMAGINING OUR FUTURE”

LOS ANGELES - The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the opening of the Historic Building in 1992. JANM will use the historic occasion to reflect on all its accomplishments in the first three decades, and the timeliness and timelessness of its mission: To promote greater understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the full range of the Japanese American experience.

Over the past 30 years JANM has bridged the divides of the nation with groundbreaking exhibitions, educational tours and thought-provoking public programs. Some of JANM’s pioneering exhibitions include Fighting for Democracy in 2005, kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa in 2006, and Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty in 2014.

JANM will also collectively look forward to our next 30 years as the museum will apply history’s hard-won lessons to reimagine the Museum experience for the 21st century, inspire the next generation, and serve our communities as a beacon for belonging.

Honored as one of “America’s Cultural Treasures” by the Ford Foundation, JANM is the largest U.S. museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the Japanese American experience. “For 30 years, the museum has championed the understanding and appreciation of America's ethnic and cultural diversity,” said Ann Burroughs, President and CEO of JANM. “And because JANM is steeped in history’s lessons, it speaks out whenever diversity and social justice are threatened.” 

JANM will celebrate its 30th Anniversary with a variety of inspiring public programs, retrospective film screenings, special events, fun activities and more. The 30th Anniversary will culminate in the museum’s annual benefit that will include 30 emerging changemakers, all under age 30, who are making positive waves in the community. Go to janm.org/30th-anniversary throughout the year to participate in all of the 30th Anniversary offerings.

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Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. For more information, visit janm.org or follow us on social media @jamuseum.