Performers participate in a farewell event at the Migrant Labor Culture and Art Museum in Picun, located at the outskirts of Beijing, on May 20. The non-profit museum is set to be demolished in the next coming days. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

People stroll on a street in Chaoyang district’s Picun, an area known for its large migrant worker population. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

A mural on the museum’s exterior reads: “All migrant workers are family.” Founded by migrant workers in 2008, the museum as well as its adjacent school and theater plays an important role in documenting the history and livelihoods of this community. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

Life-size cardboard cutouts of female migrant workers are displayed in the museum, each with a booklet documenting their work experiences. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

Safety helmets worn by migrant workers are on display at the museum. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

Personal documents of migrant workers, such as temporary resident permits and marriage as well as health certificates, are on display at the museum. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

Xiao Hai, 36, a migrant worker with two decades of experience, had been an advocate for holding a farewell for the museum. His hobbies are reading, writing poetry and singing to rock and roll music. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

Li Wenli, a domestic worker and member of the Picun literature group, sings at the farewell event. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

Wang Dezhi, born in 1977, started working in Beijing in 1995. He co-founded the museum in 2008. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

The Tongxin Experimental School was founded in 2004 to educate the children of migrant workers. Founded by a group of migrant workers, the compound was closed for several years ago due to the pandemic. Since reopening, the site has been turned into a social service center. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

An outdoor square within the school campus has been transformed into a playground for children in Picun, while the first floor of the building has been turned into a store selling second-hand clothes. Photo: Sun Muzi/Caixin

A theater adjacent to the museum is constructed in 2008. It is used to host community activities such as the Spring Festival gala. Photo: Courtesy of the interviewees

Wang Dezhi (center) was the director of a migrant worker Spring Festival Gala in 2014. Photo: Courtesy of the interviewees

Workers dismantle the seating for the theater located next to the museum. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin

An old warehouse located opposite the museum was demolished. Photo: Zheng Xinqia/Caixin