Shengsi Marine Life Museum

Shengsi Marine Life Museum

The Shengsi Marine Life Museum is a patriotic education base.

Humans originated from the ocean, and our lives are deeply intertwined with it. The ocean gave birth to life, provided essential material foundations and vast spaces for human survival and development, and nurtures a diverse array of marine creatures. As the center of China's East China Sea fishing grounds, Shengsi spans a vast maritime area of 8,747 square kilometers, hosting 96 species of fish, 19 species of shrimp, 15 species of crabs, 118 species of seaweed, as well as mollusks and various shellfish—earning it the title “Fish Treasury of the East China Sea.” To fully showcase the diversity of Shengsi’s marine life, enrich public understanding of marine culture, and raise awareness about marine environment protection, the Shengsi County Marine Life Museum was established in March 1994 with the support of the Shengsi County Party Committee, County Government, and various sectors of society. Since then, the museum has undergone layout adjustments, expanded its exhibits, and continuously enriched and improved its collection in both content and quality. It was listed as a Zhoushan Municipal-level Patriotic Education Base in 1996, a Zhoushan Municipal Science Education Base in 2003, and a Zhejiang Provincial Eco-Environmental Education Demonstration Base in 2008.

The Shengsi County Marine Life Museum covers a total area of 170 square meters and is divided into three exhibition halls. It houses nearly 400 marine biological specimens, categorized into Coelenterata (12 species), Echinodermata (7 species), Annelida (3 species), Arthropoda (60 species), Mollusca (108 species), Fish (154 species), Reptilia (3 species), Mammalia (3 species), and Algae. Most of the exhibits feature oddly shaped fish and rare, protected animal species.

The museum systematically displays thematic sections including: “The Fisheries History of Shengsi,” which describes how ancestors engaged in fishing and habitation in Shengsi as early as the Neolithic Age, with the yellow croaker fishing season forming as early as the Song Dynasty; the prosperity of the Shengshan fishing grounds during the Ming Dynasty; and by the late Qing Dynasty, the four major fishing seasons for large and small yellow croakers, hairtail, and squid had gained national renown. In the winter fishing season of 1957, 150,000 fishermen gathered from coastal provinces and cities, a phenomenon rarely seen in world fisheries. The museum also features displays of fishing boat models, ranging from manually powered small boats to large fishing vessels, reflecting the evolution of Shengsi’s fishing fleet. “Abundant Resources” highlights how Shengsi’s fishing grounds benefit from uniquely favorable natural conditions, providing ideal habitats, feeding grounds, migration routes, spawning areas, and breeding environments for marine life, making it a true “natural fish warehouse.” Currently, the Shengsi Marine Life Museum has collected and displayed nearly 400 specimens across eight major categories: Coelenterata, Echinodermata, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Fish, Reptilia, and Mammalia. “Fishing and Resource Protection” illustrates how the Shengsi fishing grounds once faced the threat of extinction for key fish species due to a lack of awareness in marine resource conservation. On July 1, 1986, China enacted the Fisheries Law, establishing legal frameworks for sustainable fishing and protecting juvenile fish populations, effectively safeguarding marine biological resources. Starting in 1995, fishing moratoriums were implemented to gradually restore marine biodiversity. The section also covers topics such as the transition from aquatic “farming” to “processing.”

Since its establishment, the Shengsi Marine Life Museum has emphasized leveraging its role as an educational base, integrating patriotic education, science popularization, and intangible cultural heritage education into various activities while expanding the museum’s functional scope. In recent years, the museum has organized a series of educational initiatives such as “Connecting with the Ocean, Protecting the Environment” and “Protecting Resources, Returning to Nature,” achieving significant social impact. Tailored to the interests of young students, the museum has also hosted activities like marine knowledge exploration, marine cultural creation, and surveys on intangible marine cultural heritage. Additionally, it actively promotes marine science education through various channels, bringing the museum to schools and fishing villages to provide the public with greater knowledge about marine culture, environmental protection, and the history of Shengsi’s fisheries.

Since its opening, the museum has welcomed over 80,000 domestic and international visitors from countries and regions including the United States, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and all provinces and cities across China, as well as leaders from relevant national ministries and provincial and municipal governments—all of whom have offered positive feedback. Liu Feng, former Chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, praised the museum as “an excellent patriotic education base” and “distinctively island-themed.” Today, the Shengsi Marine Life Museum serves as a window for both domestic and international tourists to learn about Shengsi and as an extracurricular educational destination for young people to experience marine culture.

Address: No. 127 Donghai Road, Caiyuan Town, Shengsi County, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province

Recommended visiting time: 2–3 hours

Phone: 0580-5089250; 0580-5081196

Opening Hours:

8:10–11:10; 13:40–16:40 (Closed on Mondays, open on holidays)

Transportation

Driving from Shanghai Nanpu Bridge: Departure times at 8:30, 10:00, 12:30

Departure times from Zhoushan Sanjiang Pier: 8:30, 10:30, 15:10

Departure times from Ningbo Zhenhai Pier: 12:30, 13:00

Admission

Discounts: Free admission for military personnel, seniors aged 60+, and students upon presentation of valid ID