Japanese American National Museum

The Japanese American National Museum explores American history through the lens of Japanese American experiences, emphasizing the importance of understanding and appreciating all American diversity. Established in 1985, the museum’s mission is to promote understanding by sharing the experiences of Japanese Americans. Beginning in 1942, thousands of Japanese Americans were expelled from their homes on the West Coast and parts of Hawai`i, and sent to detention camps across the country for the remainder of World War II. This tragic event indelibly shaped the Japanese American experience and, by extension, the work of the museum located in Los Angeles.