Listen to the Stories of the Sea at the China Maritime Museum
The China Maritime Museum is one of the few museums in Shanghai proudly bearing the name 'China,' and it is currently the only national-level maritime museum in the country. Opened in 2010, this modern museum covers nearly all the functions of a contemporary museum. Here, you can find a full-scale replica of the treasure ship that Zheng He commanded on his voyages to the Western Seas, alongside models of modern vessels. Visitors can even learn essential seafaring skills like tying sailor's knots through interactive exhibits. As you wander through, you'll feel as if you're traveling back and forth between ancient and modern times, experiencing different eras of seafaring. Wouldn't you like to step inside and take a look?
In the Lingang New City area, where high-rises are still few, you can spot two white sails from afar—that's the China Maritime Museum. The building consists of a two-story base and two side wings. Rising from the base are two 70-meter-tall steel sail-like structures, the highlight of the design. Mimicking two white sails, they emphasize the ocean theme with a fresh, visually striking appearance.
The exhibition areas are spread over three floors. The first floor houses the Maritime History Hall, Ship Hall, Seafarers Hall, and a special exhibition area on fishing boats and fishing. The second floor has the Navigation and Ports Hall, Maritime Affairs and Safety Hall, Military Navigation Hall, and an area dedicated to maritime sports and leisure. The museum also features a planetarium, a 4D cinema, and a children's activity center.
A suggested route is to take the escalator down to the first floor and start there. On weekends and public holidays, free guided tours are available—usually once in the morning and once in the afternoon for each hall. It's highly recommended to follow the guides; they are excellent, effortlessly recounting much of the maritime history and intimately familiar with every exhibit. The museum also offers free admission on special dates, such as International Museum Day on May 18 and China Maritime Day on July 11.
Upon entering the lobby, the first thing you'll see is a Fujian-style junk (Fu ship) built entirely using traditional craftsmanship. Based on historical records, it features a two-tiered sterncastle, a raised deck, and three masts with three sails, the main mast standing 26.6 meters tall. The construction employs mortise-and-tenon joints and watertight compartments, classic Chinese shipbuilding techniques.
The Fu ship is one of the four major ship types of ancient China and the most famous seagoing vessel. According to experts, the treasure ships Zheng He used on his voyages were of this type. This replica isn't just for show; the main attraction is that you can board it, explore, and take part in various interactive activities.
In the area in front of the Fu ship, there are models of main warships independently designed and built by China, such as aircraft carriers and destroyers, which are truly awe-inspiring.
The Maritime History Hall is organized chronologically into three sections: Ancient, Modern (early modern), and Contemporary. A sub-theme traces the development of shipbuilding and navigation technology through exhibits on buoyancy and water crossing, dugout canoes, wooden boats, sails, oars, sculls, rudders, and compasses, illustrating the invention and evolution of Chinese maritime technology.
It's not just children who can learn a lot here; adults too will gain plenty of knowledge about maritime history and facts.
There's a pure gold model of a Spring and Autumn period large-winged warship, exquisitely crafted. Looking closely, even the soldiers on deck and in the cabins are vividly lifelike!
Nearby, the 'Da Ming Hun Yi Tu' (Amalgamated Map of the Great Ming) is the earliest extant large-scale painted world map created by the Chinese, and it is also the earliest known world map to depict Africa. The original, a colored silk scroll, is stored in the First Historical Archives of China and is too fragile for display or reproduction. Only four replicas exist worldwide, making them extremely precious.
The Ship Hall is divided into two sections: Ship Structure & Equipment, and Shipbuilding. Through displays of structure, equipment, and construction processes, you'll gain a clear understanding of a ship's anatomy and the functions of its onboard equipment. The hall also combines interactive elements, environmental simulations, audience participation, and genuine artifacts.
To illustrate ship structure, a highly detailed 1:6 scale cross-section model of a large 10,000-ton-class cargo ship is on display. The model is about 25 meters long and extends through two floors of the exhibition space.
Based on the book 'Chuan Zheng' (Ship Administration), a 1:2 scale replica of a Ming Dynasty fast ship has been reconstructed.
The Seafarers Hall showcases objects, documents, and materials reflecting the work and life of seafarers. Here, visitors can even try operating a navigation simulator and experience what it's like to be a captain.
The Navigation and Ports Hall presents the marine environment and a collection of technical materials on instruments and devices used for safe navigation from ancient times to today, covering terrestrial navigation, celestial navigation, and radio navigation. It also displays numerous artifacts and objects related to ports and sea routes.
The Maritime Affairs and Safety Hall is made up of two independent sections: Maritime Affairs and Maritime Safety. The Maritime Affairs section uses objects and accompanying texts and images to showcase the evolution of maritime administration and law enforcement. The Maritime Safety section employs physical items, models, multimedia, and electronic maps to illustrate maritime rescue, salvage, and anti-piracy measures.
The Military Navigation Hall displays a vast array of warship models and naval ensigns. It's a favorite not only for children but also for adults, who find it hard to tear themselves away. The meticulously detailed models and ships are simply captivating.
The submarine area also holds great appeal for military enthusiasts. The main scene features a cutaway reproduction of a submarine, allowing visitors to step inside a simulated sub, look through a periscope, try focusing simulations, measure distances, and even simulate combat scenarios.
Interactivity is a key feature of the museum. Instead of one-way instruction through text, images, and exhibits, the hands-on experiences let visitors learn by doing, giving them a real feel for the functions and eras of the objects on display. Throughout the museum, these interactive opportunities are everywhere—if you're interested, staff members will teach you how to tie different types of sailor knots!
On major holidays and special occasions, the museum occasionally hosts outdoor interactive experiences. Children may get the chance to operate remote-controlled sailboats and simulate the feeling of heading out to sea. To book and learn about more exciting activities, follow 'China Maritime Museum' and use the 'Activity Booking' menu.
There's also a children's activity center specially designed for kids. After tiring of the exhibits, children can come here to play and have fun while learning about ships, seafaring, and dock transport through rich interactive experiences. It features realistic driving simulators, 'little stevedore' games, a virtual aquarium, undersea periscopes, and more. You wouldn't expect such a spacious children's area inside a museum—it's incredibly thoughtful. Kids can even dress up in nautical costumes in the role-play rooms, transforming into 'captains,' 'mermaids,' and more, and take fun photo booth pictures with their parents.
The shopping area on the second-floor atrium offers smaller ship models and souvenirs, perfect for visitors who want to collect warship miniatures or maritime mementos.
On the first floor, there's a dining area and a coffee shop for a quick refreshment break.
Special Recommendation 1
Currently, the museum is hosting a special exhibition of artifacts recovered from the shipwreck 'Tek Sing' ('Tae Xing'), the first large-scale exhibition on this theme in China. The Tek Sing is also known as the 'Titanic of the East.' It is the largest Chinese wooden sailing ship discovered archaeologically and the shipwreck from which the most complete artifacts have been salvaged to date. The exhibition is divided into four sections: Setting Sail & Hitting the Reef, Exploration & Salvage, Auction & Repurchase, and Research & Reconstruction, offering an in-depth look at the story of the Tek Sing. Over 400 salvaged ceramic pieces fully showcase the overall view of Dehua kiln porcelain retrieved from the wreck. In a separate special area, more than 100 fine Dehua porcelain pieces from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as well as contemporary works, are on display. The exhibition runs until January 3, 2022—a must-see for anyone interested in this 'Titanic of the East.'
On the third floor, a temporary exhibition titled 'Red Memories, Blue Navigation: A Special Exhibition for the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China' was held at the China Maritime Museum. The exhibition was divided into six parts: 'The Creation of a New Era,' 'Seafarers’ Loyalty Forges the Maritime Spirit,' 'Sailing Across the Oceans,' 'The People’s Navy Navigates the High Seas,' 'Roots and Leaves Share a Common Destiny,' and 'Realizing the Chinese Dream.' (Note: This special exhibition has now ended; the content and images are for reference only.)
The exhibition brought together over 110 exhibits, presenting the dramatic transformation of China’s maritime endeavors through the perspectives of early 20th-century returned students, seafarers, shipping, the navy, and overseas Chinese. It told the story of China’s 'red' maritime history and promoted the 'red' maritime spirit. Through historical materials and artifacts, it highlighted moving tales of the People’s Navy braving hardships and sacrifices, persisting in escort missions, and safeguarding international shipping trade and the safety of overseas compatriots.
A highlight of the exhibition was the display of models of contemporary maritime heavyweights, including a 300,000-ton ultra-large oil tanker, the 21,000-TEU COSCO 'Universe' container ship, China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier 'Shandong,' the first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer 'Nanchang,' a Type 075 amphibious assault ship, and a Type 094 nuclear submarine. These impressive vessels stand as tangible evidence of the soaring progress of China’s shipbuilding industry and are a crucial material foundation for realizing the dream of a 'strong maritime nation.'
Unfortunately, this was a limited-time exhibition, and latecomers may have missed it, so we’ve shared the highlights here. Of course, the China Maritime Museum itself regularly hosts many special exhibitions. Interested visitors should keep an eye on the 'China Maritime Museum' for upcoming events.
Address: No. 197 Shengang Avenue, Lingang New City, Pudong New Area, Shanghai (near Dishui Lake). Opening hours: 9:30–16:00, last entry at 15:30, closed on Mondays (except public holidays). Admission: Adults 30 RMB, students 15 RMB, seniors aged 60–69 10 RMB. Free admission for children under 1.4m, seniors over 70, active military personnel, retired cadres, people with disabilities, seafarers, families of martyrs, firefighters, and museum association members. Getting there: Public transport – Take Metro Line 16 to Dishui Lake Station (Exit 2), then transfer to bus No. 1096 to the Huanhu West Second Road/Shengang Avenue stop, and walk to the museum. By car: From the S20 Outer Ring Road (towards Pudong Airport) → S2 Hulu Expressway (towards Donghai Bridge) → exit at Lingang New Area, then drive straight along Shengang Avenue to the museum.
