China Maritime Museum: Hear Ocean Tales, Experience the Magic of Sailing

Shanghai has a museum by the enigmatic Dishui Lake, an annual pilgrimage for anyone who loves the sea. It's a place of ever-changing special exhibitions and rare collections just waiting to be discovered again and again. A special show is all the reason I need to visit. This time, it's an exhibition of ceramics recovered from the 'Taixing' shipwreck.

The China Maritime Museum, in Shanghai's Nanhui New City, is the first national-level maritime museum in China. My first trip to Nanhui already gave me a strong whiff of the area's deep ocean culture—not just the iconic museum itself, but also maritime universities and other sea-focused institutions. Venture further and you'll hit the Shanghai seaside, or cross the bridge to the distant Yangshan Deep-Water Port... There are so many stories of the sea right here. Today, let's start with the China Maritime Museum and hear a few of them. As a regular, I came for the special exhibition, but let me still walk you through the museum in the best order.

The first thing that hits you is the majestic exterior—like two giant sails billowing over the ocean. That immersive feeling always gets me, and I bet everyone who visits feels the same. The beautiful building is itself a treasure.

The next treasure waits inside. The design leads you up to the second floor first, where you get the perfect view of the museum's star artifact: a full-scale replica of a Ming Dynasty Fu ship. Then you descend to the first floor and explore the exhibitions in sequence. Towering four stories high, this faithful reconstruction dominates the central hall and gives you a real sense of ancient Chinese shipbuilding and the long history of seafaring. You can go aboard freely these days, but I skipped the crowd and just admired its size and details from different angles. The third-floor viewpoint is just as impressive—don't miss it.

The Maritime History Gallery tells the story of Chinese ships and navigation. This is one of my favorite sections; you can lose yourself in an ocean of knowledge about how humans first encountered water, boats, and the sea, and how they progressed step by step. The collection is packed with treasures. It all starts with a sheepskin raft and those earliest river voyages, when people first harnessed buoyancy to work and live on the water. Ancient boats—barely more than canoes—were simple but sustained life for centuries. You can still see similar dugout canoes at Lugu Lake, crude but still used by locals for fishing.

One priceless treasure here is the Spring and Autumn Period Great Wing Warship, crafted entirely of gold and vividly depicting a warship of that era. From its details and scale, you can tell the Wu State had quite advanced economic and technological strength. In the next room, an array of exquisite ship models reproduces ancient wrecks found in Quanzhou Bay—all types of Fu ships. The craftsmanship is stunning, reflecting the brilliance of that golden age.

In 1992, a clay statue of an 'Overseas Patrol Official' was unearthed at the Xianying Palace in Changle; it looks almost like a portrait of Zheng He and his entourage. Fittingly, Zheng He always set sail for the Western Seas from Changle in Fuzhou. A display case features an entire rudder salvaged from the Yangtze Estuary, similar to those from the Ming Dynasty 'Liuzuotang' shipyard in Nanjing. Such a well-preserved rudder is a rare sight.

China's artistic achievements have always dazzled abroad, so carvings, porcelain, and other crafts were highly desired overseas. Exports were a booming trade. Many ceramics were even styled to suit Western tastes. Exported silverware was another hot item—superb workmanship, diverse forms, affordable, and loved by Western buyers. Take this 19th-century silver bowl with openwork floral patterns: it was incredibly refined for its time.

The story reaches the painful Opium War years, when trade with foreign powers brought greed and gunboats. That bitter history sparked a national drive to build a modern shipbuilding industry. The galleries showcase many beautiful models that bring that dramatic history to life. In the center is the Yidun, a steam-powered mail ship and China's first modern merchant steamer. Just outside the modern section sits a wooden boat used by the People's Liberation Army in the 1949 Yangtze River Crossing Campaign—a national first-class cultural relic.

After digesting all that history, we stroll into the Shipbuilding Gallery to see how vessels are actually built. This is a super popular area, always buzzing with families. Four different ship bows illustrate distinct designs for different functions and waters—you'll be amazed at how much mariners know. The star of the gallery is a huge ship model with a cutaway cross-section that reveals real-life operations, cargo stowage, and crew living quarters in vivid detail. This is a kid's paradise; little ones get so absorbed in the hands-on displays they never want to leave. That's the museum's knack for edutainment—smiles are always plastered on children's faces. Around the ship, all sorts of internal structures and essential gear are displayed. Even if you don't fully grasp them, the precision is mind-blowing.

Maritime rescue equipment is here too—hovercrafts, fire extinguishers, life jackets. Did you know life jackets are orange for a reason? It's highly visible, and orange mimics a venomous sea snake that sharks avoid, so drifting survivors stay safer. Another hall houses a large wooden fast boat from the Ming Dynasty, reconstructed at 1:2 scale. With stabilizing side boards and an open cross-section, you get a quick lesson in traditional shipbuilding techniques. As an engineering enthusiast, even the beautiful ship blueprints strike me as art. Those detailed drawings are the magic behind every modern vessel. Though we can't visit a real shipyard, charming model scenes recreate the bustling workflow, letting us watch a ship come together from nothing—a surprisingly moving process.

The welding experience area is finally open, another heaven for kids. They may not fully understand what they're doing, but with parents guiding, they earn applause for fusing a simple seam.

Ships aside, let's talk about the people who sail them: seafarers. This profession has evolved over centuries alongside the maritime industry. These mariners are both the backbone and the witnesses of ocean exploration. Step into their world and see what life at sea is really like. We often hear about sailors heading out for months on end—it's hard not to admire their endurance. Their cabins are tiny, just a small private nook, which makes you appreciate their toughness. The navigation simulator lets you experience a captain's view; even though the scenario is a city harbor, the queasy sense of seasickness hits fast, and many visitors bail quickly.

The sailor's knot-tying experience is finally open too. Kids line up to learn from instructors and have a ball mastering various knots. With a bit of focus, any knot becomes a cinch.

Upstairs, after a year's hiatus, the Maritime Safety Gallery has reopened, packed with fascinating content. China's maritime safety tradition goes way back—written records show special ship officials existed in the Zhou Dynasty, over 3,000 years ago. Through constant reform, regulations, positions, and certificates have grown ever more comprehensive. Today, multiple departments and companies safeguard navigation and integrate globally—impressive stuff. Within maritime safety, lighthouses and beacons on reefs are essential guides. I used to wonder how lighthouse lenses work: a prism-like array creates the complex beams that steer ships. Seafaring also means hydrographic surveying. Even without modern instruments, ancient people drew primitive sea charts with clever methods. The great navigator Zheng He mapped routes all the way to the Cape of Good Hope, providing vital data for future generations. The exhibition also marks special locales like South China Sea islands and reefs, places of historical arrival and commemoration.

Search and rescue is a key part of safety at sea. Today's comprehensive SAR system backs every maritime worker—and even ordinary travelers. Finally, deep-sea exploration whets our appetite: nations are racing to unveil the ocean's deepest secrets, and I hope more breathtaking discoveries will be shared with the public.

The exhibition's final chapter delves into nautical technology and ports. Every piece is vital to the grand enterprise of seafaring. Antique instruments sit neatly in showcases: chronometers, sextants, octants—all guardians of historical voyages. Port safety even involves specialized vessels like dredgers. If you're curious, look into the story of Yangshan Deep-Water Port; its rise to a major hub is full of drama. Nostalgic scenes evoke the old Shanghai port's bustling glory, while a vivid diorama shows Tianjin Port today. And I always recommend Yangshan Deep-Water Port itself—since you're already at Dishui Lake, just cross the Donghai Bridge and marvel at its awe-inspiring scale. Another key port is Wusong International Cruise Terminal. Early cruisers to Japan or Korea might recall its grandeur. Because mega cruise ships can't pass under the Huangpu River bridges, this terminal was built at the Yangtze Estuary, creating a perfect launch point for international cruise travel.

**Special Exhibition: 'Far Sail Returning Home – Treasures from the Taixing Shipwreck'**

I seriously can't praise the museum's special exhibitions enough; each one is a showstopper. This time, I was hooked the moment I walked in: a display of artifacts from the Taixing shipwreck! What a rare, unmissable opportunity. I arrived early to enjoy it in peace before the crowds poured in by 11 a.m.

It all started in the Qing Dynasty. The Taixing was a large wooden merchant junk—the biggest ocean-going one at the time. In 1822, while bound for Indonesia, it struck a reef and sank. On board were trade goods and nearly 2,000 people. To evade pirates, the ship had changed course, leading to the tragedy. The cargo was incredibly diverse: ceramics, silk, tea, spices... An ancient compass on display oozes history, a seafarer's essential. A replica of the Taixing and a recreated cargo hold filled with silk, tea, and porcelain still look magnificent.

The story doesn't end there. In 1999, an Australian company used rescue records from another ship, the Indiana, to estimate the wreck's location. They found the Taixing on the seabed and recovered a staggering 350,000 pieces of porcelain—a mind-boggling array of exquisite artistry. Initially, many of these Dehua ceramics were auctioned off into foreign markets. Overseas Chinese spent years and fortunes helping bring them home, making this a true 'far sail returning home' journey. The exhibition showcases the rich variety of patterns—lingzhi mushroom, flower basket, floral designs, brocade grounds with openwork—pure Chinese porcelain bliss. Most pieces are Dehua ware, famed for its 'China White' glaze that glows with a milky hue in the light. In addition, many other ceramics testify to ancient craftsmanship, now safely home. Dehua was one of China's three great porcelain capitals, and thanks to this 'Eastern Titanic,' we can now witness 200-year-old ceramic culture in 2021—profound, enduring, and breathtaking.

**Fun with Sailboats**

The museum is all about immersive experiences. At the waterfront platform, there's a special model sailboat activity—a must-try for sailing fans. On the day I joined, families were all in, proving kids love edutainment during holidays. First, stick on your sailing label and grab your boat, then off you go. Professional instructors explain how to steer; otherwise, your model will capsize! The weather was perfect. For safety, children stood on the steps to control their boats while staff launched them onto the water. Under guidance, the little sailboats soon cruised freely across the lake.

**China Maritime Museum**

Address: No. 197 Shengang Avenue, Lingang New City, Pudong New Area, Shanghai (near Dishui Lake)

Public Transport: Metro Line 16, then transfer to bus No. 1096 or take a 10-minute taxi ride.

By Car: S20 Outer Ring (toward Pudong Airport) → S2 Expressway (toward Donghai Bridge) → Exit at Lingang New City Area, drive straight along Shengang Avenue to the museum.

**Opening Hours**

9:30–16:00, closed Mondays (except public holidays)

**Tickets**

Adults: 30 yuan/person

Students: 15 yuan/person

Seniors aged 60–69: 10 yuan/person

Free admission: children aged 6 or under (or under 1.4m), seniors aged 70+, active military, national fire and rescue personnel, police officers, retired revolutionary cadres, military retirees, seafarers, people with disabilities, families of martyrs, medical workers nationwide, museum association members with valid ID.

Visitors can book timed tickets via the 'China Maritime Museum' official WeChat account under 'Reservation – Online Ticketing.'