Starting April 9th, items belonging to an 19th century U.S. sailor will be on display in the Guangzhou Museum. These "treasures" includes 11 diaries by Mr. Jay Floyd Cole, as well as oil paintings, Cantonese embroideries and fans he bought during his sailing tour between 1882 and 1885.

Jay Floyd Cole, the owner of the diary, began his Asian voyage at the age of 22. In just three years, he ventured to Japan, then to Tianjin, Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, witnessing en route the Sino-French War. Jay's diaries and photos record his experiences and thoughts about the Orient.

These items were donated by Jay's grandson, Mr. John Cole Cool. In March 2007, John and his son visited a painting exhibition in China. Upon his return to the U.S., John wrote a letter to the curator of the Guangzhou Museum explaining his wish to donate his grandfather's items to the city. A year later, the family returned to China to visit the places mentioned in the diaries and later agreed on the items the museum would protect.