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 detained people from 80 countries between 1910-1940. Many immigrants arrived on 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.
If there are no available tour slots that work for your group, consider booking a self-guided visit or a free virtual tour. You can also sign up for notifications for new tour dates.
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.