The Paper has learned that the Shanghai Museum's "Big Museum Plan" has made new progress, and its first overseas branch will soon be located in the United States. On the afternoon of February 28, local time, the Shanghai Museum and the Bowers Museum of the United States signed a memorandum of cooperation in Santa Ana, the United States. The two parties reached a cooperation intention on the construction of a permanent exhibition hall and exhibition of ancient Chinese art in the Bowers Museum of the United States in the future, marking the launch of the Shanghai Museum's first overseas branch project.

Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum, and Dr. Sean O'Harrow, director of the Bowers Museum in the United States, recently signed the contract on behalf of their respective organizations.

Sean O'Harrow, director of the Bowers Museum, said that the cooperation with the Shanghai Museum is conducive to promoting cultural exchanges between the people of the two countries and increasing the understanding of Chinese culture among the American people, especially those in Southern California. He pointed out that the cooperation between the two museums can not only provide a "window" for the American people to have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, but also help to increase the breadth and depth of cooperation and exchanges between experts from the two countries.

Jiao Tianlong, chief curator of the Bowers Museum, said that the Bowers Museum and the Shanghai Museum have a long-term and good cooperation. The museum will actively negotiate and implement the curatorial plan, focusing on the theme of China's 5,000-year civilization, and display the Shanghai Museum's Chinese cultural masterpieces. It is planned to open to the American public next year.

Signing ceremony site

The Bowers Museum, founded in 1936, is a non-profit museum and one of the largest and oldest museums in Santa Ana, Orange County, California. It has been rated as one of the "must-see museums in the United States" by the American Association of Museums. The Bowers Museum has long been committed to promoting cultural exchanges between China and the United States, and has maintained a deep friendship with the Shanghai Museum. In 2007, the Shanghai Museum was invited to hold the "China 5,000 Years of Art and Culture Exhibition" at the Bowers Museum. This was the first time that the Shanghai Museum held a large-scale Chinese cultural relics exhibition in the local area, which received a warm response.

In December 2022, the Shanghai Museum released the "Big Museum Plan", proposing to build a new development pattern of "3+X", where "3" refers to the core layout of the People's Square Museum, the East Museum and the North Museum, and "X" represents the long-term cooperation model of opening branches at home and abroad, building "museums within museums", or jointly creating permanent exhibitions of Chinese art. Curator Chu Xiaobo said that the establishment of the first overseas branch of the Shanghai Museum in the United States is another important measure for the Shanghai Museum to implement the "Big Museum Plan", promote "Chinese culture going global", and expand the influence of Chinese culture globally. He pointed out that in the future, the Shanghai Museum will continue to promote the global layout, build a civilization exchange network that runs through the East and the West, and create a museum cultural brand with global influence, Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese style with the cultural consciousness of "each beauty in its own way, and beauty in common".

The Shanghai Museum delegation took a group photo with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bowers Museum, Shi Liuxiuzhi, Director and CEO Sean O'Harrow, and Chief Curator and Deputy Director Jiao Tianlong

Entrance to the Chinese Art Exhibition Hall of the Bowers Museum

Exhibitions in the Chinese Art Hall of the Bowers Museum

Exhibitions in the Chinese Art Hall of the Bowers Museum

Exhibitions in the Chinese Art Hall of the Bowers Museum