How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories

How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories is a landmark exhibition presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) that brings to light the overlooked history of a trailblazing Filipino American community in Stockton, California, from the 1910s to the 1970s. The core of the show is a remarkable collection of twenty-six steamer trunks—discovered in 2005 and preserved by the fraternal organization Legionarios del Trabajo—three of which are on display in the gallery. These trunks, along with their contents, represent over five decades of material culture and personal belongings left behind by migrant laborers who made Stockton home, at one time the largest population of Filipinos living outside the Philippines. The exhibition is a signature program of the Smithsonian’s celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, “Our Shared Future: 250,” and marks APAC’s first exhibition at the National Museum of American History.

When: The exhibition runs from November 20, 2025, through November 28, 2027.

Where: Nicholas F. and Eugenia Taubman Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

Tickets: Admission is free. No tickets are required for individual visitors; however, scheduled group tours may be booked in advance.

Curators: The exhibition is curated by Sam Vong from the National Museum of American History, with curatorial assistant Ethan P. Johanson. The Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute provided storage and conservation services for loaned objects.

Design: The gallery was designed by the award-winning firm TSKP x IKD.

Highlights: Three of the twenty-six original steamer trunks are on view, alongside more than 50 artifacts—including personal documents, photographs, and everyday objects—that tell stories of migration, labor, community building, and identity. The exhibit honors the impact of the Filipino American community in Stockton, which once constituted the largest Filipino diaspora outside the Philippines.

Tours: Interested groups (students, community members, or professional organizations) can book a guided tour by contacting the museum’s group tour booking system.

Note: The exhibition is a collaborative effort of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the National Museum of American History, and it is APAC’s first exhibition housed within the museum.