Shenzhen is adding another major cultural stop for cross-border visitors. Set to begin trial operations in late September this year, Qianhai Museum will open in the core area of Qianhai Bay.
The museum is expected to showcase Chinese history, craftsmanship and art through large-scale galleries, while offering a new waterfront viewpoint for design lovers, families and curious day-trippers from Hong Kong.
A Design Inspired By Mountain, Sea, City And Culture
The museum covers about 126,000 square metres and was conceived as a “Tree of Civilisation and Beacon of the Era,” a concept linking mountain, sea, city and culture.
Designed by a team led by He Jingtang, its layered façade reinterprets traditional multi-eaved roofs through contemporary forms and aluminium panels that filter light and air.
Inside, elevated structures and central cores create broad, column-free public areas and unobstructed exhibition halls.
A 100-metre arch on the fifth floor frames views of Qianhai Bay, while a rooftop garden connects the building with the surrounding landscape and skyline for visitors to enjoy outdoors.
Seven Exhibitions Covering 5,000 Years Of Chinese Civilisation
At launch, Qianhai Museum will present seven major exhibitions with more than 3,000 cultural relics.
The centrepiece is a general history exhibition of ancient China, tracing civilisation from prehistoric origins to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Other shows focus on jade, porcelain, blue-and-white ceramics, bronze ritual and musical culture, Silk Road exchange and Buddhist sculpture.
The programme should give first-time visitors a broad, accessible overview of 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation before the museum announces further opening details.
Image credits: Qianhai Museum