China Art Museum

Shanghai, China

Acclaimed as one of the largest museums in Asia, the China Art Museum is dedicated to curating the progress of classic and contemporary art in China, starting from the Qing period and moving forward through the ages to show the progress made and influences retained.

The museum, located at Pudong, has its own eponymous stop on line 8 of the Shanghai metro. Timings are from 10:00 to 18:00 but further entry is stopped an hour before; as are the elevators within the building. It remains closed on Monday unless that falls on a public holiday, for which the museum remains open. Entrance is free but there is a requirement to book tickets in advance online or get them beforehand physically. There is one charged entrance of RMB20 to the 5th hall on the 49-meter floor. This allows access to the motion picture viewing of the ‘Riverside Scene at the Qingming Festival’ exhibition. The recommended route is to begin at the top and wind down towards the exit. The pieces are labelled mostly in Chinese with just adequate translations in English but it takes an appreciative eye, and not descriptions, to savor the artwork on display.

Originally built in 1956 and known then as the Shanghai Art Museum, the estate has moved location thrice (the last in October 2012) and now occupies an area 10 times of what it originally held. The current occupancy is designed as an upside-down pyramid in red that is visually stunning and very photogenic. It is stationed on an area of almost 40 acres and has room for twice the number of exhibits that it holds within.

With 4 stories and more than 1,400 pieces to explore, visitors are advised to start at the 49-meter (high) floor at the top. This level contains 6 halls, including the one with the charged entrance containing the magnificently detailed ‘Riverside Scene’ by Zhang Zeduan. The multimedia show is basically a x30 magnification of the original art work belonging to the Northern Song Dynasty. Also, on this floor is the much coveted classical ‘Immortals Toasting the Birthday of Heavenly Queen Mother’ art piece from the Qing Dynasty. Credited to Ren Bonian, the painting is encased in glass and can be viewed while moving on a conveyer belt!

Origin stories through exhibits continues in the 49-meter and 41-meter levels and are illustrated in different mediums like calligraphy, oil paints etc.
Exhibits for noted painters proudly display works by celebrated Chinese artists whereas the exhibition of ‘Art featuring history and culture of Shanghai’ is a public-private partnership project where the Government invited citizens to make contributions of their city, beliefs and lifestyle. The remaining exhibitions contain art work from the current period and some exhibitions which are held in cooperation with other museums around the world.
It takes about 1.5 hours to complete a circuit of the place and afterwards, once you’ve seen the souvenirs shop, there is a Starbucks and the café Jamaica Blue on location where you can freshen up!

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