In 2025, Shanghai Museum is gearing up to host a series of exhibitions, including 12 new ones, that span from ancient to modern times, combine Eastern and Western styles, and showcase the artistic and cultural achievements of civilizations around the world.

 

• Shanghai Museum at People's Square

Slithering into Spring: A Celebration of the Year of the Snake

2025 is the Year of the Snake, the sixth of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. This exhibition delves into the legend of the snake in Chinese culture, showcasing 13 precious artifacts from ancient and modern times, exploring the evolution of the legend of the spiritual snake in Chinese civilization. The Year of the Snake is associated with transformation, rebirth, and healing. Snakes shed their skin, symbolizing the shedding of old ways and the beginning of something new. Snakes represent wisdom, intelligence, and insight.

Venue: No 3 Exhibition Gallery

Dates: Jan 14 to March 2

 

Ming and Qing Rhino Horn Art Exhibition

This exhibition focuses on the art of rhino horn carving, a gem of Chinese art, during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), showcasing over 100 exquisite rhino horn artifacts from the museum's collection.

Venue: Chinese Seal Gallery (3F)

Dates: From May 30 to the end of May 2026

 

Liangtuxuan Painting and Calligraphy Collection Donated by the Ching Banlee Family

This exhibition features 233 masterful calligraphy and painting works donated by the family of Ching Banlee (1899-1965), a Chinese collector living in the Philippines. The items on display span from the Song Dynasty to modern times.

Venue: Chinese Calligraphy Gallery (3F)

Dates: From Aug 20 to April 19, 2026

 

Song, Yuan, and Ming Lacquerware Masterpieces Exhibition

This exhibition sheds light on the vibrant world of Chinese lacquerware from the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties (960-1644), showcasing nearly 200 lacquerware treasures from Japan's Tokyo National Museum and other renowned collections. Lacquerware is a type of craft using lacquer resin on the surfaces of various items such as cups, bowls, boxes, sculptures and screens.

Venue: No 2 Exhibition Hall

Dates: From Sept 19 to Nov 23

 

Exquisite Fans Through the Ages

This exhibition explores the charm of Chinese traditional fans featuring paintings and calligraphy through a selection of 100 exquisite fan artworks from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties (960-1911) as well as from modern times. Throughout history, Chinese fans served as ritual wares, practical devices and eloquent carriers of traditional arts and literature. They are closely associated with China's bamboo and Buddhism cultures.

Venue: No 1 Exhibition Hall

Dates: From October to February 2026

 

Zandelou Ceramics Gallery

This exhibition showcases the beauty of over 300 ceramic artifacts donated to the Shanghai Museum by the family of the late Hu Huichun (1910-1993), a porcelain connoisseur whose collection is hailed as one of the best private collections of Chinese art from the 20th century.

Venue: Ceramics Gallery (2F)

Dates: From October to August 2026

 

Shanghai-Style Cheongsam (Qipao) and Century-Old Fashion Exhibition

This exhibition explores the evolution of Shanghai-style cheongsam (qipao) fashion through a collection of garments from the 20th century, displaying a century-old modern lifestyle.

Venue: Bronze Gallery (1F)

Dates: From mid-December to August 2026

 

Seeing Legendary Stories in Relics

This exhibition explores legendary stories and mythology in ancient China as depicted on various artifacts, offering insights into the cultural heritage and intellectual charm of the Chinese nation.

Venue: Ceramic Gallery (2F)

Dates: From mid-December to August 2026

 

• Shanghai Museum East

Impressionist Collection Exhibition of Pola Museum of Art

This exhibition offers up a celebration of the renowned Impressionist movement. Visitors can immerse themselves in the works of Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and other luminaries, tracing the evolution of Impressionism and its lasting influence on art through the ages.

Venue: No 2 and No 3 Special Exhibition Hall

Dates: From Jan 22 to April 21

 

Hongshan Culture Ancient Civilization Exhibition

This exhibition delves into the Hongshan (red mountain) Culture, a crucial cornerstone of Chinese civilization dating back over 5,000 years, bringing together the latest archaeological findings from Liaoning and Hebei provinces, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and other regions. It is expected to be the largest Hongshan Culture special exhibition to date.

Venue: Bright Dairy & Food Exhibition Gallery 1

Dates: From late June to early October

 

Ningxia Guyuan Fine Artifacts Exhibition

This exhibition showcases nearly 300 exquisite artifacts unearthed in Guyuan, in southern Ningxia Hui autonomous region, from the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) to the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), presenting a panorama of the ancient Guyuan culture.

Known as "Dayuan" during the Western Zhou period, Guyuan served as a convergence point between Chinese civilization and the grassland culture.

Venue: No 2 Special Exhibition Hall

Dates: June to November

 

The Innovation of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Bronze Ware Exhibition

By leveraging its collection of Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing bronze wares and collaborating with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and several other prominent museums from Europe, the United States, and South Korea, the Shanghai Museum immerses audiences in the unique artistic charm of ancient bronze wares.

Venue: Bright Dairy & Food Exhibition Gallery 1

Dates: From Nov 12 to March 16, 2026

 

Source: Shanghai Museum