As the first and only university institute for the study of overseas Chinese, it serves as a research centre, a library and a museum.

[1] The centre's building was constructed between 1953 and 1955 with a donation from businessman Lim Lean Teng.

Designed in the traditional Chinese architectural style, it originally served as the Administration Building of Nanyang University.

It is primarily funded through private donations and government matching grants on a 1:1 basis.

[5] Located within the campus of NTU in Jurong West, Singapore,[6] the centre houses the Wang Gungwu Library and an overseas Chinese museum.