Adjacent to China Alley, the Mai Wah and Wah Chong Tai buildings stand as tributes to Butte's early Chinese population, which numbered 400 in 1890. With a first-floor mercantile and second-floor noodle parlor, the Mai Wah provided a segment of the city's ethnic community with jobs after the mines were exhausted. Today the buildings house exhibits and memorabilia honoring the rich Asian history of the area. The Mai Wah's permanent exhibit, "The Butte Chinese Experience," tells this fascinating story with artifacts, images, and interpretive displays.