Discover Chinatown: Tradition combined with Dynamic Change‍

Victoria’s Chinatown is not a static museum piece. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and has been identified as a National Historic Site. But it has changed with the times, right up to the present. Join John Adams, well known local historian and author of Chinese Victoria: A Long and Difficult Journey, on a 90-minute walking tour to discover how this heritage neighbourhood has succeeded in blending traditional and contemporary design.

The tour will highlight some of the best examples of adaptive re-use and new design. Visit several of Chinatown’s famous and hidden spaces from historic to new, including the Fan Tan Hotel, a recent project by Robert Fung and The Salient Group that demonstrates how heritage elements and character can be retained while adhering to modern building codes; Dragon Alley, a 1999 townhouse project undertaken by Moore Paterson Architects within the brick walls of a former lodging house; the Lee Chong Building, a skilful refurbishing of dilapidated structures and interior courtyards by LeFevre and Company; and mounting the stairs to view the exquisite Tam Kung Temple, the oldest Chinese temple in the country! The tour will end at the three-year-old Victoria Chinatown Museum in Fan Tan Alley; through its changing exhibits the museum plays a key role in showcasing Chinatown’s social, architectural and economic evolution.

*This tour starts at Centennial Square and will include stairs, at one site.