Shanghai Art Museum

Shanghai Art Museum

Shanghai Art Museum is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Shanghai Art Museum is located on bustling West Nanjing Road, backed by People’s Square and adjacent to the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, and neighboring People’s Park. It is a fully functional, well-equipped museum of modern and contemporary art with a certain influence both domestically and internationally. Shanghai Art Museum has now relocated to the China Art Museum.

Shanghai Art Museum is a non-profit social and cultural institution. The renovation and expansion project preserved its original neoclassical architectural features while adapting the interior to meet the functional requirements of an art museum. The design retains the traditional language of European architecture while emphasizing a bright, modern atmosphere, creating an elegant and refined artistic space. As visitors step into the dignified lobby, gaze up at the stately columns, ascend the spacious staircase, touch the bronze horse head from the 1930s, and admire the exquisite works of art, they will gain a sense of old Shanghai’s historical evolution and experience its captivating cultural charm.

The museum was formerly the Shanghai Branch of the China Artists Association, originally opened as the Shanghai Art Exhibition Hall on August 10, 1956. It was rebuilt in 1983 and renamed Shanghai Art Museum on October 9, 1986. The collection includes works by renowned modern and contemporary painters such as Xugu, Wu Changshuo, Zhang Daqian, Lin Fengmian, Liu Haisu, Guan Liang, Wang Geyi, Zhu Qizhan, Xie Zhiliu, and Zhang Leping, as well as regionally distinctive oil paintings, prints, and New Year paintings.

Since its establishment, the museum has hosted exhibitions such as the 19th Century French Rural Landscape Exhibition, the 250 Years of French Painting Exhibition, the Italian Renaissance Art Exhibition, as well as exhibitions featuring Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, and Pan Tianshou. It has published collections such as "Paintings by Xugu, Ren Bonian, and Wu Changshuo," along with irregular internal publications like "Century Art" and "Shanghai Art Museum." The museum currently houses a collection of over 8,000 pieces, actively conducts theoretical research focused on the history of modern and contemporary Chinese art, and provides support for preservation, exhibitions, and international exchange programs.

Shanghai Art Museum has 12 exhibition halls covering a total area of over 6,000 square meters, equipped with modern facilities to accommodate various art exhibitions. Advanced lecture halls, meeting rooms, a library, an art database, and art workshops ensure optimal conditions for academic seminars and educational activities. Additionally, a souvenir shop, art gallery, and café create a relaxing atmosphere infused with artistic charm for visitors.