Museum Taking in culture free in Shanghai

Ancient Chinese art, modern art, contemporary art, famous foreign art and history — all can be found in Shanghai's museums.

For International Museum Day on Sunday (May 18), Shanghai Daily summarizes the city's museums, many of them open free to the public on that day. These museums are notable not only for their collections but also for their architecture. These include the Power Station of Art, a former electric power station; the crimson China Art Museum in the former China National Pavilion of the World Expo Shanghai 2010, and the Shanghai Museum in the shape of an ancient bronze cooking vessel called ding.

Shanghai Museum

This is often considered China's first world-class museum, and it's dedicated to ancient art. Located at the edge of People's Square, it is built of stone and shaped like a round bronze cooking vessel with handles, known as ding.

The shape echoes the Chinese philosophical concept that the sky is round and the earth is square.

Opened in 1996, it contains collections renowned for their range, depth and quality.

The collections cover ancient Chinese bronzes, sculpture, ceramics, jades, seals, calligraphy, coins and other currency, paintings, Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty furniture, and crafts of China's national minorities.

It regularly holds smaller shows and exhibitions including items from China and abroad.

Opening hours: 9am-5pm

Address: 201 People's Ave

Admission: Free

Power Station of Art

A vast space housing contemporary art and installation, the Power Station of Art is the renovated Nanshi Power Station built in 1897, symbolizing the city's industrial might at the time.

Featuring a towering, 165-meter smokestack, it was used as the Urban Future Pavilion in the World Expo Shanghai 2010. It once burned highly polluting, high-sulphur coal and was decommissioned in 2007.

Today, there is a huge, lighted digital thermometer on the chimney.

The museum is China's first government aided contemporary art museum.

Because of its vast interior, several big contemporary art exhibitions have been held there, such as the first Andy Warhol exhibition in China two years ago.

The major current exhibition features pictures and models of the work of renowned architect Kazuo Shinohara, a legend in Japanese contemporary architecture.

Opening hours: 10am-5pm, closed on Mondays

Address: 200 Huayuangang Rd

Admission: Free

Long Museum West Bund

This is the second and largest private institution established by Chinese super collectors Liu Yiqian and his wife Wang Wei. Some critics say it could become Shanghai's equivalent of a Guggenheim or a Whitney.

It features primarily modern and contemporary art.

The current major exhibition features the couple's collection of Chinese contemporary art, starting from Gu Wenda's calligraphy to the latest young promising artists. It includes big names such as Zhou Tiehai, Zhang Enli and Zhang Xiaogang.

The gray stone modern architecture is spectacular. It contains a theater and conference rooms.

Opening hours: 10am-5pm, closed on Mondays

Address: 3398 Longteng Ave

Admission: 100 yuan (Free on May 18)

Rockbund Art Museum

The building is situated in the famous Rockbund area of the Bund, where Suzhou Creek flows into the Huangpu River. The building once housed the Royal Asiatic Society and the former Shanghai Museum, one of China's first modern museums.

This non-government contemporary art museum was renovated by British architect David Chipperfield. The original 1932 structure was designed by Palmer and Wilson, in a hybrid style combining Western architecture with Chinese decorative elements. Chipperfield retained the original design in the exterior facade.

The museum organizes exhibitions of Chinese and foreign contemporary artists. The museum is a convenient stop for visitors to the Bund.

Opening hours: 9am-5pm, closed on Mondays

Address: 20 Huqiu Rd

Admission: 15 yuan