The Kong Yick East building was built in 1910 by 70 Chinese laborers as a place to stay and socialize when they came to Seattle. The Wing Luke Museum purchased the building and converted it into a building and museum that could communicate the story of immigration and ongoing issues of identity, assimilation and stereotypes. The museum houses a community room, both temporary and permanent exhibit space and a series of immersion galleries that were retained from the original building. Many of the materials used throughout the museum come from the selective demolition of the original building and have been reused in a variety of new and innovative ways.