Shanghai | Arts and Crafts Museum: A Palace of Art in the French Concession, a Timeless Art Experience

#September2025

✓ Atmosphere and Experience: A Perfect Place to Relax

Located on quiet Fenyang Road, this museum, with admission priced at just 8 yuan, offers a perfect break while exploring the French Concession.

The exhibition space is small, spanning two floors. The collection showcases a variety of Shanghai handicrafts from the last century, including ivory carvings, root carvings, lanterns, and cloisonné.

While the overall style leans towards the old-fashioned, it possesses a unique charm, offering a sense of historical heritage that's well worth the price.

✓ Craftsmanship and Architecture That Transcend Time

Here, you can get up close and personal as master artisans perform their timeless skills.

For example, cloisonné production still uses methods unchanged since the Ming Dynasty: ground ox bone is added to the glass powder mixture to enhance transparency. Jade carvers, working under magnifying glasses and using tools that haven't evolved since the Neolithic Age, maintain their focus, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship passed down through generations.

This building itself is a work of art, occupying 5,862 square meters. The main building houses three exhibition halls: weaving and embroidery, carving, and folk crafts.

Most captivating are the dragon motifs hidden within the woodwork, visible only under certain lighting angles, a delightful exploration of architectural detail.

The museum features over ten specialized exhibits, including embroidery, bamboo carving, and boxwood carving, showcasing traditional Shanghai crafts in urgent need of preservation.

Metro Transportation:
Take Line 10 to Shaanxi South Road Station (approximately a 10-minute walk).