From skincare cream and textile dye to metro trains and musical theater, a new exhibition at the Shanghai History Museum, Shanghai – Hamburg: A Tale of Two Cities, explores the enduring relationship between China and Germany.

Running through Oct 18, the exhibition is jointly organized by the Shanghai History Museum and the International Maritime Museum Hamburg to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the friendship-city relationship between Shanghai and Hamburg, established in 1986.

Bringing together rare artifacts, historical documents, and interactive installations from both cities, the exhibition traces the evolution of their ties through the lens of their shared heritage as globally connected port cities.

A partnership forged through trade

The exhibition traces the earliest milestones in this relationship. In 1731, the first Chinese merchant vessel arrived in Hamburg carrying tea, silk, and porcelain, marking the beginning of a commercial exchange that would endure for centuries. Among the exhibits is a painting from the International Maritime Museum Hamburg, dating to 1790, that depicts a folly fort near Guangzhou in Guangdong province and offers evidence of the direct trade links already established between the two countries.

By the 1930s, German products had become household names in Shanghai. Nivea skin cream and Indanthrene-dyed blue qipao were familiar sights, reflecting the growth of direct shipping routes and trading houses that brought German industrial goods into the daily lives of Shanghai residents.

The exhibition also charts the evolution of the logistics corridor linking Shanghai and Hamburg, which has supported a range of Sino-German cooperation projects, from the Santana sedan to metro trains.

On Sept 28, 2021, Shanghai's first China-Europe freight train, known as the Shanghai Express, departed for Hamburg, where it arrived on Oct 26. Today, one in three containers handled at the Port of Hamburg is linked to China, and more than 550 Chinese-invested enterprises are registered in the city.

From industry to culture

Beyond trade, the exhibition also explores how the two cities have connected through culture. In 2008, a replica of the mid-lake pavilion in Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden opened in Hamburg, complete with a zigzag bridge and a couplet celebrating the friendship between the two cities. In 2010, the Hamburg House at the Shanghai World Expo introduced the concept of passive-house energy efficiency.

From soccer star Jorg Albertz, who wore the jerseys of clubs from both Hamburg and Shanghai during a 2005 friendly match, to touring productions of opera, theater, and musicals, the two cities continue to share stages, stories, and cultural experiences.

If you go

When: Through Oct 18

Where: Shanghai History Museum, No 325 West Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

Admission: Free

Sources: Shanghai History Museum, China Daily