The Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection contains more than 25,000 rare and unique items (documents, books, maps, posters, paintings, photographs, silver, glass, ceramic ware and other artifacts). Inspired to start collecting by an illustrated poster of the C.P. R.M.S. Empress of Asia in his father’s tailor shop in Victoria, Dr. Chung amassed over 25,000 items over sixty years. Starting with little things clipped from newspapers and magazines for his scrapbook, Dr. Chung assembled an extensive research collection of items on early British Columbia history, immigration and settlement, particularly of Chinese people in North America, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.

The Chung Collection includes many rare and unique items. It is one of the most exceptional and extensive collections of its kind in North America and has been designated as a national treasure by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board.

Come see the permanent exhibition in Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) on Level 1 of UBC Library's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre!

Weekly drop-in tours are offered every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., but you are welcome to browse the exhibit anytime RBSC is open, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the general public, as well as the UBC community.

For more information, please contact Rare Books and Special Collections at (604) 822-0645 or email us at rare.books@ubc.ca.