The walls of the Detention Barracks Museum at the historic U.S. Immigration Station are filled with poetry and inscriptions, written and carved by immigrants expressing frustration, anger, and hope.
Built to enforce the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island was historically called the “Guardian of the Western Gate”. People from over 80 countries were detained on Angel Island between 1910-1940. Many of them arrived on the shores of the island only to find that their entry might be denied because of laws targeting immigrants with Asian ancestry, certain disabilities or diseases, or a lack of money.
The barracks that once detained these individuals stands today as a museum that you can visit in-person or virtually. We invite you to visit the immigration station to learn about a period of history that is still powerfully relevant.
Explore our program offerings and teacher resources below to discover how to connect with Angel Island State Park. For questions, please contact tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or (415)435-5537.
Bring your group for a guided tour!
Reserve a 1-hour in-person guided tour about immigration history at the Detention Barracks Museum. Enjoy a 35-minute hike (watch out for hills and trail stairs!) to the immigration site where you will meet your tour guide.
This is a paid program. Payment is taken on-site on the day of the tour:
K-12 Schools (extracurricular programs do not qualify): $3 (Adults and Youth)
General Public: $7 (Adults), $5 (Youth 5-17), Free (Under 5)
This program is for grades 4-12, and is also open to the general public. Groups larger than 30 people (40 people for 4th-12th grade school groups) must book multiple timeslots. Groups smaller than 5 people will have their reservation converted to a drop-in tour for other visitors to join.
Bring your group for a self-guided experience!
Reserve a 1-hour in-person SELF-GUIDED experience at the Detention Barracks Museum. Non-school groups with less than 10 people do not need a reservation. Enjoy a 35-minute hike (watch out for hills and trail stairs!) to the museum where you will meet parks staff for an introduction to the museum. This reservation does NOT include an audio tour.
This is a paid program. Payment is taken on-site on the day of the tour:
K-12 Schools (extracurricular programs do not qualify): $3 (Adults and Youth)
General Public: $5 (Adults), $3 (Youth 5-17), Free (Under 5)
All ages are welcome. Groups larger than 30 people (40 people for K-12 grade school groups) must book multiple timeslots. This is not a guided tour.