Museum
CAPU is on a journey to open the first Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora history and culture museum in the Rocky Mountain Region.
From 2023-2025, CAPU visited over 40 museums in 9 cities to learn more about what it takes to open a museum, and what role it serves within communities like ours. We’ve met with leading organizations in the field, and have developed a framework to ensure that we are always authentic, innovative, and sustainable. Ultimately, we’ve learned that community must co-lead the process every step of the way.
In today’s age, museums serve a variety of purposes beyond just education. Current Western models of ‘history & culture museums’ do not fully encapsulate what we do and how we view ourselves. Our museum aims to provide gathering spaces for community, serve as a physical way of anchoring cultural neighborhoods, create opportunities to foster local creative talent, and foster multimodal avenues for intergenerational dialogues.
Feasibility Study
CAPU has hired Keen Independent Research to assess the viability and best path for opening a museum focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture in the Rocky Mountain region.
Key takeaways from the feasibility study include:
Market analysis insights
Stakeholder engagement analysis insights
Benchmarking
Capital and Operational Planning
Strengths, Challenges, Recommendations.
To learn more, click here.
Capital Campaign
Upon the completion of the feasibility study, CAPU will begin planning a capital campaign fundraiser that will search for support from institutional partners, businesses, and individual donors.
If you are interested in contributing to this historic endeavor, please contact our Executive Director, Joie Ha at joie@coloradoasianpacificunited.org.
Partners
Keen Consulting
The Colorado Health Foundation
Gates Family Foundation