#8 Know Another Culture

Oroville Chinese Temple & Garden
1500 Broderick St.
530-538-2496

Hours: Daily, Noon-4
Closed December 15 - January 31
Admission: Adults $2, Children under 12 free
Tour groups and special rates

Built in 1863 to serve a community of 10,000 Chinese, this temple of treasures is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also as a California Landmark. It was first opened to visitors during California's 1949 Centennial. It includes three chapels, with the main chapel, Liet Sheng Kong, serving as a place of worship for Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism.

In 1968, Tapestry Hall was added to display the extensive collection of embroidered tapestries, parade parasols, and other objects of beauty. A priceless collection of Chinese and American costumes is arranged to contrast the two cultures by decades from 1850 to 1930. Also see the rare three-dimensional puppets from the Oroville Chinese Opera Theatre.

Visitors won't want to miss the garden, which is designed as a place for meditation and reflection and has plantings that originated in China; each is a symbol for a Taoist idea. The temple and garden are maintained by the Oroville Parks Department.