Kaifeng Lansheng Film Art Museum

Kaifeng Lansheng Film Art Museum

The Kaifeng Lansheng Film Art Museum began its preparation in February 2010 at China Han Garden, where it organized a collection of film equipment and historical materials gathered over many years. It was then relocated in its entirety to the Wansuishan Scenic Area in May 2014. In August 2014, it formally applied to the Kaifeng Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics for recognition as a private museum, and received approval from the Henan Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics on December 31, 2015.

Located in the scenic Wansuishan Scenic Area, the Kaifeng Lansheng Film Art Museum was founded by projectionist Liu Lansheng and is the first film art museum in Kaifeng. Over his 25-year career in film projection and six years of preparation, Liu collected a wealth of historically distinctive and highly collectible film-related materials. The museum aims to promote outstanding traditional Chinese culture and art, as well as to rescue and preserve old film equipment and related materials scattered among the public. It remains open to the public free of charge, offers free guided tours, and provides the public with opportunities to view, learn about, and exchange ideas on film art.

The Kaifeng Lansheng Film Art Museum currently features three themed exhibition halls: the Film Museum Hall, the Film & TV Hall, and the Image Hall. The Film Museum Hall displays over 1,500 items of equipment such as film projectors and film reels, showcasing the development and unique charm of Chinese film culture. The Film & TV Hall focuses on interactive experiences with visitors, revealing the magic behind various sound effects and voice-overs seen in films. The museum houses a collection of more than 6,000 items, including vintage film books and magazines, old film stills, vintage film tapes, old photographs, and other memorabilia that capture the essence of the era, striving to present a “both familiar and unfamiliar” vision of cinema. The Image Hall mainly exhibits film shadow puppets, gramophones, and similar devices. Notably, the film reel restoration room in the Image Hall displays reel restoration equipment, which were crucial tools in reviving old films before the widespread use of digital media. Whether fleeting or grand, film art has always been closely intertwined with people and progressed alongside the times.

The museum’s curator, Mr. Liu Lansheng, is a projectionist with many years of experience in the field. In 2005, the projection team he led was awarded the title of “National Advanced Projection Team.” In 2008, he received the “Henan Province Happy Central Plains Advanced Individual in Projection” award, and in 2009, he was named one of the “Top Ten Youths of Kaifeng County” and awarded the May 1st Labor Medal. In 2015, he earned the title of “Senior Projection Technician.” Mr. Liu is deeply passionate about film art. As Pier Paolo Pasolini said, “The whole of life, its entire action, is a natural, vivid film.” Life is like a play, and the play is like life—this museum also displays half a lifetime of humanity.

Museum Collections: film reels, film projection equipment, film stock, old projectionist badges, film stamps, vintage film posters, old movie tickets, film comic books, film scripts, film magazines, film books, film stills, gramophones, shadow puppets, film reel restoration equipment, and more.

Activities: educational programs, film exhibitions, film screenings, and film & TV experiences.

Education: popularization of film knowledge and filmmaking knowledge

Visiting Guide

Note: The Kaifeng Lansheng Film Museum is located within the Wansuishan Scenic Area. While the museum itself is free to enter, the scenic area charges an admission fee. Additionally, the scenic area’s opening hours are earlier than those of the museum.