In 1980, Lorna and Bernie Fandrich purchased an empty parcel of land in Lytton. Soon after, they were given an obscure 1934 newspaper article that referred to a Chinese Joss House or temple at that location in the 1880s. Lorna began to envision a place that would honor and recognize the culture, sacrifices, and contributions of Chinese who came to Canada to mine for gold, work on the railroads and become merchants.

In 2014, Lorna Fandrich decided to commence with the project. From a graph paper sketch and a basic building rendition, after many hours to prepare the building site and a year-long period of construction, the Lytton Chinese History Museum opened on May 13, 2017.

After becoming award winning and nationally renowned institution in just a short period of time, the museum was very tragically destroyed in the recent wildfires in Lytton. A number of artifacts were also destroyed. 

However, Lorna is committed to rebuilding the museum as she is still passionate about the story of the property and history of the museum. The museum was known for having one of the greatest collections of Chinese artifacts from the era of 1850-1940.

She is raising money to get the museum back up and running, and to once again tell the story of the history of the Lytton Chinese community.  She has also put out a call asking people to donate Chinese artifacts from British Columbia to her museum to rebuild the collection.

Richmond Rotary expressed sincere gratitude to Lorna for her work with the museum and her commitment to conserving Chinese history in Lytton and British Columbia. 

Lorna is also proud of her town of Lytton, and wants to contribute to it's growth and vibrancy, especially as it rebuilds. Rebuilding the Museum will support the local tourism sector, as it is one of the major tourist destinations in Lytton.