(NewMediaWire) - June 12, 2023 - Burbank, CA – It’s the number two tourist attraction for the city of Burbank and the only museum of its kind in the world, the Martial Arts History Museum, and it’s narrowing its search for a new, larger location possibly in the city of Glendale or Los Angeles.
The martial arts is the only sport that you can find in every country in the world. From Kung Fu fighters in Dubai to Tae Kwon Do stylists in Africa to Kali stick artists in Russia, the martial arts continues to spread from generation to generation. Celebrating its 24th year in existence, the museum is considered the “home for the martial arts” worldwide as they continue to receive visitors from across the globe.
While California is running commercial after commercial to entice people to visit the Golden State, the Martial Arts History Museum represents millions upon millions of people who have either taken martial arts or just been a big fan of martial arts movies.
According to one school teacher who brought a group of kids to visit the museum, “They were so quiet and so in awe of everything they saw. They learned a lot that day.”
Michael Matsuda, president of the museum, who is more like the “Walt Disney of the martial arts,” feels that the museum expresses the same appeal that Walt Disney put into everything he did. “What better creative person than Walt Disney can I emulate? He was a master of innovation, and creativity, and was able to take nothing and create a reality. That’s what we have done here and if we had a larger budget, imagine the possibilities?” says Matsuda.
Matsuda is surrounded by those in the creative field. His brother-in-law is Paul Wee, Emmy Award Winner for his work on "The Simpsons", Bill Weber, a pioneer in Halloween and animatronic development, and Matsuda himself, a former Disney graphic artist, listed twice as one of the Top Producers in America and Emmy nominee for his work on the El Rey Network.
Cities are always looking to bring in new tourists, people to stay at their hotels and eat at the restaurants. Well, why not add a one-of-a-kind museum as part of that attraction?
In addition to its artifacts from a variety of Asian countries, the museum also focuses on artistry, culture, plus anime and martial arts in films. It is a learning experience as young people explore the positive contributions of the Asian-American community.
In a new facility, the museum will be able to expand its theater so that it can host movie screenings to a larger crowd, rent the space for dinners, ceremonies, and promotions, and host book signings and red carpet events. “Another reason for the expansion is providing a place where schools can list the museum as another field trip,” notes Matsuda.
“Right now, Asian Hate is at an all-time high. Just because you don’t see it in the news, doesn’t mean it has stopped. Through this museum, children learn about a variety of Asian countries. They will learn about Asian artistry and their traditions, they learn that we have more in common than they think. Through the museum, young kids receive an education of life in a fun and unique way as in connects with the martial arts,” says Matsuda.
Since the late 1800s, Asians have opened new doors for America. Different methods of healing are now practiced, animation has taken a new leap forward, cooking has changed dramatically and nearly every fight scene in Hollywood adds Asian techniques and methods to make it more enticing.
Relocating their facility is an exciting step for the museum. It is a rare opportunity for any city to have the only museum of its kind in the world. It is a place where martial arts fans and enthusiasts can add visiting the museum to their “bucket list.”
“Another thing that we want to introduce is a museum store. A place where people can purchase Chinese, Japanese, or even Filipino items. A place where they can support the museum and learn more about each particular country. Having a store will make a huge impact on any city,” concludes Matsuda
If you would like to be part of the Martial Arts History Museum and join their fundraising campaign, donations can be made on their website at http://www.MAmuseum.com. The museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Email is info@mamuseum.com.
