In a landmark partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Shanghai Museum will host a free exhibition, Jewelry: The Body Transformed, at its east branch from Nov 18, 2026, to May 5, 2027.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses one of the world's most comprehensive and culturally diverse collections of fine jewelry.

Spanning 5,000 years, the selection features rare artifacts from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, the Islamic world, Central Asia, India, the Americas, and modern Europe.

The upcoming showcase will feature 192 items and sets from The Met's collection.

Shanghai Museum has also selected more than 20 ancient Chinese jewelry pieces for the exhibition, including bronze belt ornaments from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), agate and crystal ornaments from the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), and gold belt ornaments from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Divided into six thematic sections, the exhibition explores the relationship between jewelry and the human body, examining how personal adornment has served as a symbol of religious beliefs, power and status, and female empowerment.

Highlights include wig rings belonging to the ancient Egyptian princess Sithathoryunet, 18th-century European royal jewelry sets, and an ant-shaped bracelet created in 1976.

If you go

Exhibition: Jewelry: The Body Transformed — Treasures from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

When: Nov 18, 2026–May 5, 2027

Where: Shanghai Museum East (No 1952 Century Avenue)

Admission: Free

Source: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism