The Chinese Historical Society of America was founded in 1963, at a time when Chinese American history was largely absent from textbooks, museums, and public consciousness. The founding members recognized that if they did not collect, preserve, and present their community's story, no one else would. The society has since assembled one of the most important archives of Chinese American artifacts, photographs, documents, and oral histories in the country. Its collections span from the Gold Rush through the Chinese Exclusion Act, the World War II era, and the civil rights movement, documenting the full arc of Chinese life in America.

The CHSA museum is housed in a building designed by Julia Morgan in 1932 as the Chinatown YWCA. Morgan's design incorporated Chinese architectural elements into a Western institutional framework, reflecting the cross-cultural mission of the original building. When the CHSA acquired the space, Morgan's design gained new meaning: a building that had always bridged cultures now served the institution dedicated to documenting that bridging. The building's Landmark status protects its architecture while its museum function ensures that the stories within its walls continue to be told.

CHSA presents changing exhibitions that address both historical and contemporary themes in Chinese American life. Past exhibitions have explored the building of the transcontinental railroad, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Chinese Americans during World War II, and the contemporary experiences of Chinese immigrants and their descendants. The museum also hosts educational programs, lectures, and community events. In a Chinatown that increasingly serves as a tourist destination rather than a residential community, CHSA provides an institutional anchor for the neighborhood's historical identity.