After more than six years of construction, Shanghai Museum East, the new wing of the Shanghai Museum, launched soft opening for the Bronze Gallery and opened the special exhibition Stars Over China: The Ancient Civilization of Sanxingdui and Jinsha on February 2.
Established over 70 years ago, the Shanghai Museum is an internationally-acclaimed museum and prominent collector of ancient Chinese art. Its new east wing is located on the Shiji Boulevard in the Pudong district of Shanghai. Featuring white wavy facades that resemble rippling water, its futuristic design rivals that of top museums worldwide. The design also embodies the openness and inclusiveness of “a sea embracing all rivers” and the pioneering spirit of “one riding the oncoming tide”. Boasting 20 exhibition halls and interactive experience spaces, the museum has a display area that extends to an impressive 33,600 square meters, chronologically showcasing a comprehensive history of ancient Chinese art with a unique layout.
The new Sanxingdui exhibition is a collaboration between the Shanghai Museum and 28 Chinese museums and institutions, including the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, the Sanxingdui Museum and the Jinsha Site Museum. With a total of 363 pieces (sets) on display, the exhibition showcases the latest archaeological findings, as well as restoration achievements. It is the largest display of excavated artifacts of the ancient Shu civilization outside its home province of Sichuan to date.
According to the 2024 exhibition plan recently released by the Shanghai Museum, 18 special exhibitions will be presented this year, marking an unpresented scale. The Shanghai Museum East will be fully opened to the public by the end of 2024.
Source: Xinhua News
Image source: Shanghai Museum