Asian American History & Cultural Sites in Bucks County
Bucks County is home to sites that reflect the lasting influence of Asian Americans. From literature and craftsmanship to design and landscape, these places tell stories of creativity, advocacy, and cross-cultural exchange. Together, they highlight how Asian American legacies and activism have helped shape Bucks County and continue to inspire visitors today.
Explore the legacy of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author Pearl S. Buck at her former home in Perkasie. Raised in China, Buck helped introduce Eastern culture and perspectives to Western audiences through her influential novels. Today, the Pearl S. Buck House is a National Historic Landmark offering guided tours of the scenic 68-acre estate where she lived and worked for 40 years, with ongoing programs that celebrate Asian history, cultural exchange, and global understanding.
The George Nakashima Woodworkers Complex is the historic home and studio of internationally renowned furniture designer, woodworker, and architect George Nakashima. He opened his woodworking business simply to earn a living, drawing on skills he had developed as an Eagle Scout in the Pacific Northwest, as an architect in the Far East, and as a woodworker in the Idaho desert. Nakashima designed furniture for Knoll and was also commissioned by Nelson Rockefeller to create 200 pieces of furniture.
The mission of the Nakashima Foundation is to build Altars of Peace and place them around the world as ecumenical symbols of peace for all humankind. Visitors can also enjoy events, workshops, and guided tours of the property (advanced registration required).
In 1992, the Michener Art Museum commissioned architect and furniture maker Mira Nakashima (b.1942) to design a Memorial Reading Room in honor of her father, architect and woodworker George Nakashima (1905-1990). The Nakashima Reading Room features George Nakashima’s furniture designs within a Japanese tearoom setting, offering space for rest and quiet reflection to the museum visitor.
