As well known as the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art, the Shanghai Museum was established in 1952 and relocated twice before finding a permanent home in its present location -- south of the centrally located People's Plaza -- in 1996.

The Shanghai Museum is a four-storied building that occupies a total area of 39,200 square meters. The museum's unique architectural style -- with a round roof and square base -- combines China's traditional culture and modern spirit, giving visitors a complete and pleasant visual experience upon first sight. Architecturally, its structure is among the world's greatest.

The Shanghai Museum boasts research departments in Chinese bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy , and artifacts, and a scientific laboratory for preserving cultural relics; its resident researchers and associate researchers number over 50.

As for scholarly research, the Shanghai Museum has published over 80 special museum catalogues and 19 research subjects on cultural relics preservation have won awards.

The Shanghai Museum has installed advanced security and fire alarm systems, educational services, a computerized library and an automation system. In addition, it has facilities for a multimedia guide, an information center, a high definition graphics system and an audio tour; its lecture room is equipped with a system of spontaneous interpretation. The museum library has a collection of over 200,000 volumes of books.

With a collection of over 120,000 pieces of cultural relics, the Shanghai Museum is especially famous for its bronze, ceramics and paintings and calligraphic treasures. Altogether, there are 11 special galleries and three exhibition halls at the Shanghai Museum:

 Gallery of Ancient Chinese Bronze

The Gallery of Ancient Chinese Bronze features about 440 pieces of various kinds of ancient Chinese bronze, including the bronze wine vessel, food vessel, musical instruments, water vessel, weapons and other vessels from the Xia Dynasty (21st century-16th century BC) to the Warring States Period (475-221BC). The distinctively shaped and beautifully decorated bronze, some with historic inscriptions, are an important mark of ancient Chinese civilization and a marvelous treasure of the Chinese cultural heritage, which is highly respected in the world.

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