Despite much persecution over the years, Asians, primarily Chinese and Japanese, have played an integral role in developing the Northwest, and today the connection of this region with the far side of the Pacific has opened up both economic and cultural doors. The exhibits at this small museum, located in the heart of Seattle's International District and named for the first Asian American to hold public office in the Northwest, explore the roles various Asian cultures have played in the settlement and development of the Northwest. Many of the museum's special exhibits are meant to help explain Asian customs to non-Asians. If you're walking around Chinatown, this museum will give you a better appreciation of the neighborhood, but the exhibits tend to have a narrow range of appeal.