Changshu Pingtan Art Museum

Changshu Pingtan Art Museum

The Changshu Pingtan Art Museum was established in October 2005. It is located at No. 8, Area 2, Fangta Shangyuan, adjacent to the iconic ancient city landmark Fangta Pagoda to the east and the central commercial street Fangta Street to the south. Covering a land area of 2,500 square meters with a construction area of over 1,600 square meters, it is a classical garden-style building. The museum consists of two floors: the ground floor houses an elegantly designed and spacious performance venue surrounded by quaint garden scenes, accommodating up to 250 audience members for performances. It regularly invites well-known pingtan performers from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. The second floor hosts the Changshu Pingtan Art Exhibition, displaying historical materials and artifacts that illustrate the origin, development, and flourishing of pingtan art in Changshu. These exhibits reflect Changshu’s cultural heritage as the “Second Hometown of Pingtan” and the “Number One Book Dock of the Jiangnan Region.”

The exhibits include: four sets of models and sculptures depicting the historical evolution of Changshu pingtan and the prosperity of the “Number One Book Dock of the Jiangnan Region”; 26 physical items and tools used in old performance venues and by veteran artists; profiles of 59 notable figures from Changshu—renowned artists, popular performers, and writers—who contributed to the art of pingtan from the Qing Dynasty onwards, along with 13 of their manuscripts, 33 certificates, 54 publications, 75 photographs, and 26 audiovisual materials. Also on display are 22 representative and original repertoires performed by the Changshu Pingtan Troupe, showcasing the troupe’s role in preserving the art. Additionally, there are 44 photographs highlighting major performances organized or participated in by the troupe over the past fifty years, and 10 various publications.

The Changshu Pingtan Art Museum is one of China’s top-tier venues for traditional performing arts. It serves as a public facility integrating collection, research, exhibition, education, and entertainment, playing an active role in inheriting and advancing the outstanding national art form of pingtan.

Address: Area 2, Fangta Shangyuan, Changshu City, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: In Changshu City, take bus routes 109, 109B, 114, or 125 and get off at Yinxiàn Jiē Station.