Learn our story
About Us
ABOUT THE MUSEUM
Victoria Chinatown History
The Victoria Chinatown Museum Society (VCMS), formed in 2019, is a non-profit society whose purpose is to share the history, traditions and culture of early Chinese Canadians to Victoria.
The VCMS operates the Victoria Chinatown Museum in Canada’s oldest Chinatown. The museum’s permanent home is inside the Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association building in Fan Tan Alley, North America’s narrowest commercial street.
We are passionate about sharing the stories of Chinese Canadians through the lens of Victoria’s Chinatown, a historic neighbourhood we believe is a “living museum.” The Victoria Chinatown Museum features a permanent collection of images and artifacts, plus:
- rotating collections
- pop-up exhibits that bring stories to life
- family-friendly games and activities
“I am so honoured to work with the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society (VCMS) Board of Directors who believe wholeheartedly in our mission to preserve and share Chinese Canadian culture and history. Many of our Board, staff and volunteers have our roots in Victoria’s Chinatown. Our parents shopped in the stores on Fisgard Street, many of us attended the Victoria Chinese Public School, and we all enjoyed celebratory dinners in the restaurants. Some of my early childhood memories are of going to visit the bachelors, the single men left behind by the Chinese Exclusion Act ,who lived communally in the Hoy Sun Ning Yung Building that now houses the museum. My mom considered them family as we all are from Taishan, and I fondly called them allI ‘grandfather.’ The Victoria Chinatown Museum in Fan Tan Alley where I played as a child evokes such strong and positive feelings for me. My goal is that we can create those same feelings for all our visitors.”
Meet the Board
Dr. Grace Wong Sneddon
Chair
Dr. Grace Wong Sneddon
Grace has an Interdisciplinary PhD in Anthropology and Pacific and Asian Studies from the University of Victoria. Her areas of research include: race and gender in popular culture, Asian North American identity and the Chinese diasporic culture. As past Adviser to the Provost on Equity and Diversity for fifteen years, her research has informed her extensive experience in the area of educational and employment equity. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Art History and Visual Studies and an associate fellow in the Centre for the Studies of Religion and Societies at the University of Victoria. Committed to her community, she is President of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation, Director of the Hoy Sun Ning Yung Association and past Chair of the Victoria Foundation.
Robert Fung
Vice-Chair
Robert Fung
Robert is president of The Salient Group, the real estate development and asset management company which he founded in 2000 after a decade developing the Expo ’86 lands with Concord Pacific, and then as Director of Development with the Narland Group. Salient’s urban revitalization projects have received multiple development industry, municipal and provincial awards, as well as BC’s highest award for architecture, the Lieutenant Governor’s medal. These projects have been lauded as substantial contributors to the renewed economic vitality of historic precincts in both Vancouver and New Westminster. Robert is actively involved in the community including positions as Chair of the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society, Director of Covenant House Vancouver, the UBC Board of Governors, the Vancouver Board of Trade, and the Vancouver Economic Development Commission. In 2012, Robert was recognized as the “Emerging City Visionary” in the inaugural Museum of Vancouver “City Shapers” event. Currently, Robert is a member of the Chairman’s Council for Science World, a director of the UBC Properties Trust, and a Director of the Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region. His working career has been entirely spent within two blocks of Chinatown.
John Adams
Secretary
John Adams
John is a historian and author based in Victoria. He has a BA in history from UBC and a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. For twenty-five years he worked for the BC Government at the Royal BC Museum and as a manager in the Heritage Branch and also taught museum studies part time at Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria. In 1999 he started a private company, Discover the Past, devoted to historical research, writing, lecturing and guiding tours. He has written six books, including Old Square Toes and His Lady, the biography of BC’s first governor, Ghosts and Legends of Bastion Square and the Historic Guide to Ross Bay Cemetery. His latest book, entitled Chinese Victoria, is a social and cultural history of Canada’s oldest Chinese community.
Rosilyn Soo
Treasurer
Rosilyn Soo
Rosilyn Soo is a fourth generation Chinese-Canadian to live in Victoria and the first generation to be born here. Rosilyn graduated from the University of Victoria and Thompson Rivers University and holds Diplomas and Degrees in Public Sector Management and Business Administration. She is also a Chartered Professional Accountant and for the past 35 years has been working for the Government of British Columbia in financial management roles in various ministries, agencies, and a Crown Corporation. Currently, Rosilyn is a Director of Finance at the Ministry of Citizens’ Services. In the past, she has also been a volunteer Treasurer on a Strata Corporation. Rosilyn is interested in history, in particular Chinese-Canadian and European history, and believes in preserving, celebrating and supporting the continuous education of the history of our ancestors in Canada for current and future generations.
Kyman Chan
Kyman Chan
Kyman Chan is a first generation Chinese Canadian born and raised in Victoria. Kyman’s family history with businesses in Victoria’s Chinatown goes back over 60 years. Kyman is a senior partner in the Victoria office of Grant Thornton with over 25 years of experience in public practice specializing in providing assurance and business advisory services with a focus on external reporting, risk management, and growth strategy. He is an elected fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC. In addition to his role as treasurer of the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society, Kyman also currently serves as the treasurer of St. Michaels University School Society. Highlights of Kyman’s past commitments to community service include chair of the Board of Governors of Camosun College; vice-chair and treasurer of the Victoria Foundation; treasurer of the South Island Division of Family Practice Society; treasurer of the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society; director of the South Island Prosperity Partnership; advisory council member of the BC Cancer Foundation; and governing council member for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. In addition, Kyman has been a passionate volunteer coach for local youth sports teams at the Saanich Minor Hockey Association, Victoria Racquet Club Minor Hockey Association, Victoria Minor Ball Hockey Association, Victoria Amateur Basketball Association, Gordon Head Minor Baseball Association, and Gordon Head Soccer Association.
Adam Con
Adam Jonathan Con, PhD.
Dr. Con, a fourth-generation Chinese Canadian, was born in Vancouver and has
resided in Victoria, BC, since 2014. His deep family roots in Victoria include his paternal
grandmother, who was born there, and his paternal great-grandparents, who are buried at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point. Dr. Con is Professor of Music at the
University of Victoria, where he teaches music education and choral conducting,
supervises undergraduate and graduate accordion students, and serves as a university senator and Vice-President of the Faculty Association. His previous leadership roles include Acting Associate Dean of Fine Arts, Chair of the Senate Committee on Curriculum, and active member of the Senate Committee on Planning. For over a decade, he has coordinated musicians and curated music for UVic convocation ceremonies.
In the broader Victoria community, Dr. Con serves as Artistic Director of Capriccio Vocal Ensemble and take an active role serving as executive board member the Coalition for Music Education in BC, and on the board of Choral Canada. He is also co-chair of Podium 2026, Canada’s national conference, which will be hosted at the University of Victoria.
Dr. Con’s interdisciplinary expertise in Body Mapping, Alexander Technique and Tai Chi Chuan has led to numerous international invitations to perform, conduct and present workshops. Highlights include engagements at Foro Coro Americano in Argentina, I Foro Internacional De Educación Musical in Mexico, ISME The International Society for Music Education, and numerous national and provincial music educator’s and choral conferences across Canada and the United States, such as the Canadian Podium Choral Conducting Symposium, the American Choral Directors Association, the Canadian GALA Conference, the Canadian and the American Orff-Schulwerk National Conferences, the BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Choral Federations and Provincial Music Education Conferences.
Carley Gibson
Carley Gibson
Carley Gibson is a Development Officer, Community Events at Victoria Hospice, where she leads community fundraising initiatives and builds meaningful partnerships to advance compassionate end-of-life care.
Born and raised in Victoria, Carley has always had a deep passion for connecting with her community and creating meaningful impact close to home. With over two years of experience in event-based fundraising, Carley creates impactful sponsorship opportunities, fosters community engagement, and identifies new ways to inspire local giving. Carley is passionate about connecting people and purpose to make a lasting difference in her community.
Melanie Groves
Melanie Groves
Mel Groves has more than 25 years’ experience in a wide range of communications and community engagement roles. Mel spent almost 20 years leading communications and stakeholder engagement – including communication planning and training, event coordination and emergency communications – at the University of Victoria. Prior to that, her experience included roles with the Capital Regional District and Camosun College, as well as freelance writing and editing for government, educational and non-profit organizations, film and video production, and teaching English as a Second Language in Japan and elsewhere.
Mel serves as a volunteer with The Land Conservancy/Abkhazi Garden, Children’s Health Foundation/Lisa Huus Memorial Fund and is past treasurer of the North Park Neighbourhood Association.
Jeff Mitchelmore
Jeff Mitchelmore
Jeff Mitchelmore is a third-generation Chinese Canadian and the Owner and President of the Brenric Group of Companies, a Victoria-based organization specializing in construction management, real estate investment, and property management. Born and raised in Victoria, BC, Jeff has deep roots in the community and a strong appreciation for its cultural history and built heritage. Through Brenric, he has helped shape some of Victoria’s modern landscape, leading the construction and revitalization of commercial and cultural spaces that define the city’s interior architecture and urban fabric.
For the past three years, he has served on the organizing committee for Awakening Chinatown, contributing to the preservation and celebration of Chinese culture in Victoria. Through both his business leadership and community involvement, Jeff is committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen Chinatown’s legacy and ensure its continued vitality for future generations.
Throughout his life, Jeff has been active in both the sports and arts communities, having performed professionally as a musician for more than 15 years. He brings over two decades of leadership experience and a deep appreciation for community, culture, and collaboration—honouring the legacy of his late grandfather, Gordon Quan, whose lifelong dedication to serving the Chinese community continues to inspire him.
Ian Wong
Ian Wong
Alan Lowe
Past Chair
Alan Lowe
Alan was born in Victoria in 1961 and for the first three years of his life, lived in Victoria’s Chinatown. His parents immigrated to Victoria from China in 1957 and both his grandfathers immigrated to Victoria in the early 1920’s. Alan Lowe received his Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Manitoba and his Master of Architecture from the University of Oregon. He has been practicing architecture in Victoria since 1988.Alan was elected as the first Mayor of Chinese descent in 1999 and served as Mayor of Victoria for 9 years. Alan is a Director with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, the Chair of the Zhongshan Hook Sin Tong Charity, and a Director of the Canadian Chinese Museum Society of BC.In 2003, Alan was presented with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Community Service, in 2006 was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Canadians, in 2018 was named an Honorary Citizen of Victoria, and in 2020 was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Canadian Scottish Regiment.
Staff
Linda Tzang
Associate Director
Addie Tonn
Social Media Coordinator
Carolyn Hahn
Administrator
Charlayne Thornton-Joe
Visitor Experience Manager
Get in touch,
get involved
We’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re curious about our museum’s initiatives, interested in becoming a member, or eager to volunteer at upcoming events, please drop us a message below. We’re here to connect you with the stories and heritage of Chinese Canadians in Victoria.
