Detention Barracks
Explore the Detention Barracks
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Rooms 104 and 204 reveal surprising stories of former detainees, including a stowaway, student, escapee, tattoo artist, and several merchant sailors.
Follow a timeline of events between 1941 and 1946, when German and Japanese soldiers were imprisoned at the former US Immigration Station.
Historic drawings found carved into the walls of the detention barracks offer another glimpse into the daily lives of Angel Island immigrants.
Take a deep-dive through the history the first floor Chinese men’s dormitory, discover what life was like for former detainees, and learn how they maintained order in the barracks.
Look beyond the translations to discover unique characteristics of thirteen Chinese poems, including their hidden histories and surprising connections.
Chinese poems reference the once-green walls of the men’s barracks. It was one of several paint layers covering inscriptions left behind by former immigrants.