The Tai Hua Museum is dedicated to telling the history of the Chinese people in Phuket, from the first large wave of immigrants who came to the island in the 19th century to mine tin through the merchants and others who built Phuket. The museum opened in 2010 using the old Tai Hua School, the oldest Chinese-language school in Phuket. The building, which opened in 1934, is a classic Sino-Portuguese building, blending European styles with Chinese influences. The museum covers two entire floors of the building, with visits beginning on the second floor, where rooms cover the arrival of the Chinese in Phuket and the early organization of the community. The galleries on the ground floor cover various aspects of Thai-Chinese culture such as dress, education, buildings and food.