Shanghai's century-old mansions and historic buildings are living canvases of the city's past and present. Where East meets West in design and artistry, these spaces make every visit feel new. Right now, several of these iconic homes are showcasing standout exhibitions that bring their walls to life:

Swatch Art Peace Hotel Artists Group Exhibition

Step into one of the city's most creative hubs. The Swatch Art Peace Hotel is showcasing playful and energetic works by 26 artists-in-residence, each experimenting with different media, from painting and sculpture to mixed installations.

Founded in 2011, the hotel has welcomed more than 600 artists from over 60 countries and regions. It provides space to live, create, and exchange ideas, and this exhibition offers a lively snapshot of that creative spirit.

Where: No 23 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

Open: Now until Dec 12, 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Monday)

Tickets: Free (advance reservation required via the Swatch Art Peace Hotel WeChat mini program)

A Kind of Language: Storyboards and Other Renderings for Cinema

This exhibition is a must-see for movie lovers. Rong Zhai's newest show explores how films begin, not on set, but on paper.

Visitors will find storyboards, mood boards, sketches, scrapbooks, notes, and photographs that reveal how directors shape atmosphere, pacing, and emotion long before a single frame is shot.

For the first time, storyboard materials from masters including Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, and Hayao Miyazaki are presented together. Covering 35 films, the show brings audiences back to cinema's "zero to one" moment, the birth of an idea.

Where: No 186 North Shaanxi Road, Jing'an district

Open: Now until Feb 1, 2026 (closed on Monday)

• Tuesday to Thursday & Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm
• Friday & Saturday: 10 am to 10 pm

Tickets: 60 yuan (about $8.44)

Jing'an Heritage Villa International Art Exhibition

Once home to Shanghai's elite, Jing'an Heritage Villa now provides a setting for a cross-cultural art experience.

This exhibition brings together artists from Italy, Spain, Russia, and other countries living in Shanghai, along with well-known local creators. Through painting, photography, and installations, they share how they see and feel the city.

The villa itself becomes part of the exhibition, with rooms filled with old objects, vintage photos, and period magazines, creating a time-capsule atmosphere that blends nostalgia with fresh artistic perspectives.

Where: Alley 1025 West Nanjing Road, Jing'an district

Open: Now until Nov 30, 1:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Tickets: From 150 yuan

Tatler House x Liu Xiaohui: Stories and the Garden

Inside one of Sinan Mansions' charming houses is a gentle, meditative exhibition about books, gardens, and inner peace.

Artist Liu Xiaohui paints with soft, thoughtful brushwork that brings together the stillness of reading and the vitality of plants. With sunlight filtering through the windows, the artworks feel closely connected to the historic home, which invites visitors to slow down and breathe.

Where: No 515 Middle Fuxing Road, Huangpu district

Open: Now until Dec 20, 1 pm to 5 pm (closed on Sunday and Monday)

Tickets: 40 yuan

Urban Encounters with Laszlo Hudec

Completed in 1931, Sun Ke Villa is one of architect Laszlo Hudec's signature residential designs. It combines a Spanish-style layout with Baroque details and the warmth of Shanghai life.

The exhibition invites visitors to wander through Hudec's world and reconsider what "ideal living" means.

Highlights include:

• DV footage shot by Hudec himself, capturing the city in the 1920s
• Digitally restored color photographs from the 1930s, shown publicly for the first time
• 45 blueprints of Columbia Circle villas

Where: No 1262 West Yan'an Road, Changning district

Open: Now until Nov 23, 10 am to 5 pm

Tickets: Free (reservation required via the Columbia Circle WeChat mini program)

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Changning district administration of culture and tourism, and Tourism, official WeChat accounts of above-mentioned venues