New Online Exhibition Launches

Balikbayan | Homecoming: Filipino Perspectives on the Philippine Collections, a new online exhibition, launched in May during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The exhibition features thirteen Filipino and Filipino-American thinkers, artists, culture bearers, activists, scholars, and traditional leaders who selected Filipino items in the care of the museum and shared their thoughts.

The balikbayan box is an important symbol of connection, culture, and identity for Filipino communities. The boxes are filled with things for family back in the Philippines, whether household goods such as toiletries, candy, clothes, and toys, or special gifts and mementos of family activities and milestones. More than just a care package, balikbayan boxes have become a vital and beloved diasporic tradition. They link those at home and those who are away.

This exhibition plays off the core values underpinning the balikbayan cultural icon—sending, sharing, remembering.