In Xuhui district, Shanghai, situates a snow-white building of French Neo-Renaissance style. It used to be the official residence of the Director General of the French Concession, but now acts as the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts.

Walking into this three-story museum, which is an exquisite artwork itself, visitors will find themselves surrounded by a treasure trove of crafts.

Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts. [Photo/WeChat account: gymspt]

Greeting the visitors in the main hall is a lacquer screen that depicts the goddess of the Luohe River. The dark lacquer gives a subtle depth to the overall design, forming a contrast with the graceful figures against the plain background. It is notable that the bold color of the carved lacquer comes not from the pigment, but from the inlay materials, such as mother-of-pearl, jade, ivory and rosewood. Thanks to excellent carving techniques, the lines of the depiction are expressive, giving life to the goddesses.

The lacquer screen displayed in the main hall of the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts. [Photo/WeChat account: gymspt]

The museum's other carvings are also created with various materials, including ivory, jade, lacquer, porcelain, wood, ink stone and bamboo. The craftsmanship of these art pieces looks almost magical. The Mushroom Ink Stone here is the final work of Chen Duanyou, one of the founders of Shanghai's ink stone carving technique. Although the artwork is unfinished, it has been stunningly beautiful. The delicate mushrooms are so vivid that they look as soft and moist as those in the forest.

The Mushroom Ink Stone by Chen Duanyou. [Photo/WeChat account: gymspt]

If you are a fan of Chinese opera, the costumes displayed in the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts are not to be missed. Even real royal clothes wouldn't be much more delicate than the robes on display here. These robes are woven with gold threads and the crowns are decorated with kingfisher feathers.

The Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts is a rare museum that displays both tangible and intangible cultural heritage crafts. Here, visitors can both appreciate the artworks and see the process of making them. There are 10 workshops open to visitors on the third floor of the museum. Artworks created in the museum include embroidery and jade carving, among other things.

The museum not only presents fabulous works, but also preserves endangered skills. Visitors can admire the rich legacy and evolution of traditional arts and crafts skills by exploring traditional art pieces, crafts treasures, and distinctive buildings.

Address: No 79 Fenyang Road, Xuhui district

Open: 9 am-11:30 am (Last entry at 11 am), 1 pm-4:30 pm (Last entry at 4 pm); Closed on Mondays.

Adult ticket: 8 yuan ($1.10) per person

Student and elderly ticket: 4 yuan per person

Source: "gymspt" WeChat account