Events in the nation defined a generation of Americans. But as the people from that nation came to America, they seemed to vanish into the melting pot. Opening this week in West Valley’s Cultural Celebration Center is the first touring exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute to explore the Vietnamese-American experience in America since the end of the Vietnam War. The exhibit’s six sections trace the evolution of the culture in America over more than 30 years, as more than 1.5 million Americans of Vietnamese descent have integrated themselves into the country’s national life. Explore the unique challenges facing Vietnamese immigrants in the wake of an unpopular, unsuccessful military intervention, and learn about how much more than restaurants they have contributed to our country.

Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon: Vietnamese America Since 1975 @ Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City, 801-965-5108, March 20–May 27, reception Friday, March 20, 7–9 p.m. CulturalCelebration.org