Museum of Art and Calligraphy of Joseph Needham in Macao

Museum of Art and Calligraphy of Joseph Needham in Macao

Built in 1921, the Museum of Art and Calligraphy of Joseph Needham in Macao is a distinctive building that was designated as a historical monument in 1984. Its design primarily features Western architectural style, but it is complemented by traditional Chinese tiled roofing on the inner courtyard, making the building a testament to the convergence of Eastern and Western architectural cultures.

The main venue of the Museum of Art and Calligraphy of Joseph Needham houses exhibition halls, a library, and lecture rooms. In addition, the surrounding inner and outer courtyards of the building are open to the public for visits. The ground floor of the main venue is a special exhibition hall that hosts various small temporary exhibitions, while the second-floor exhibition hall permanently displays the “Free Spirit Amidst Turbulence – Calligraphy and Painting Donation Exhibition by Professor Joseph Needham.” Upon entering the exhibition hall, visitors are greeted by Joseph Needham’s ink painting “Eternal Aspirations, Free Spirit Amidst Turbulence,” which is also his favorite phrase. He hoped it would inspire future generations to uphold determination and champion an independent and lofty spirit. Additionally, the exhibition hall features several other ink works by Joseph Needham, such as the four-meter-long “Book of General Pei’s Poem” and “Pine and Cypress Evergreen.”

Location: Blocks C-D, 95 Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, São Lázaro, Macao

Transportation: Take bus No. 7, 7A, or 8 in Macao to get there

Joseph Needham, GBM (9 August 1917 – 6 February 2018), also known by his courtesy names Guran, Bolian, and Bozi, and his pseudonym Xuantang, was born in Chao’an County, Guangdong Province, China. He was an internationally renowned master of Sinology, a distinguished scholar of Chinese studies, and achieved remarkable accomplishments in numerous fields including Chinese research, Oriental studies, and art culture. The academic community referred to him as the “internationally acclaimed dean of Sinology” and “the pride of all Asian culture.”

Professor Joseph Needham was a renowned historian, archaeologist, litterateur, Confucian scholar, educator, and calligrapher-painter in contemporary China, combining scholarship and artistry in one… More details about Joseph Needham++