[Hai Lights] Creative Souvenirs Are Going Viral in Shanghai. We Want Them All!

Forget the typical postcard or fridge magnet. Museums and art galleries across Shanghai are reinventing the souvenir, transforming exhibition-inspired keepsakes into stylish, collectible pieces that people actually want to use.

This summer, institutions are blending iconic artworks, cultural heritage, and contemporary design with everyday objects, bringing art and history beyond the gallery walls and into daily life – while sparking a new wave of creative museum merchandise.

Shanghai Museum

Exhibition: On Top of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas

Dates: July 9, 2026-November 14, 2027

As one of Shanghai's major exhibitions this year, On Top of the World Tree arrived with an ambitious souvenir collection. Shanghai Museum launched more than 2,300 products when the exhibition opened and plans to introduce new designs throughout its 16-month run, taking the total to more than 3,000.

A maize god with a new hairstyle every day

The Maize God in ancient American culture has been transformed into a round and fluffy character.

Some are little plush charms, while one has corn stigma "hair" that can be restyled. Other variants can dance with tiny arms or have many individual expressions.

The cultural details remain recognizable, but the playful designs make these figures more approachable.

A 'stone' head you can squeeze

The colossal stone heads of the Olmec civilization are known for their monumental size and solemn expressions. Now they're transformed into a soft, squishy toy. The contrast is part of the fun: an ancient stone sculpture that looks heavy and imposing, but feels soft and squashy in your hands.

Bags have grown 'arms' and 'legs'

Canvas totes, tissue holders, and knitted bags include arms, legs, faces, and other fun embellishments. Cultural emblems like the World Tree, feathered serpent, American animals, and sun themes are turned into everyday items.

Other plush designs take inspiration from the sculptures and animals of the Americas.

Their original shapes and cultural features remain visible, but rounder bodies, softer materials, and cute facial expressions give them an entirely new character.

Shanghai Art Museum (China Art Museum)

Exhibition: A Noble Household: Life and Aesthetics in the Mawangdui Han Tombs

Dates: July 3-October 7

After learning about a Western Han Dynasty noble family, visitors can check out Xin Zhui's Treasure Shop, where historical patterns and artifacts are turned into beautiful souvenirs and accessories.

Designed after a lacquer food plate from the Mawangdui Han Tombs, the shop's main attraction is a round, wide-eyed cat. One of the earliest Chinese cat motifs, jun xing shi (meaning "please enjoy your meal"), is on the plate.

The plush cat is available in two sizes and several colors. Mugwort fills its delicate outer layer, giving it a mild herbal scent. It can be desk-mounted or attached to a bag.

Some of the amusing fridge magnets are inspired by the Daoyin Tu, an antique silk painting of people exercising, Han Dynasty clothes, or the ubiquitous cat motif.

There are scarves featuring Han-style patterns, aromatic bead bracelets, and canvas bags that bring elements of ancient textiles and decorative art into modern outfits and everyday life.

Minhang Museum

Exhibition: Elegance of the Qing Dynasty: Cultural Relics from the Reigns of Kangxi , Yongzheng and Qianlong

Dates: July 3–October 25

Alongside its souvenir collection, Minhang Museum has introduced MoDoo Lab, a local creative brand offering hands-on craft experiences inspired by the exhibition.

Perler bead, or pindou, has become a popular Chinese craft. Heat-fused little plastic beads in different colors create a colorful, pixel-like appearance.

Minhang Museum has created a series of original perler bead patterns inspired by the exhibits and encourages visitors to make perler bead work on-site and take home a souvenir they have made themselves.

Visitors can also find a miniature phoenix coronet fridge magnet with a detachable top that can be worn as a brooch, limited-edition cola cans printed with handwritten comments by the Yongzheng Emperor, and blue-and-white porcelain souvenirs such as miniature bottles and gourd-shaped fridge magnets.

Museum of Art Pudong

Exhibition: Monologue: Giorgio Morandi Special Exhibition (Giorgio Morandi: Monologue)

Dates: June 17-October

The bottles and jars that repeatedly appear in Giorgio Morandi's paintings have stepped out of the canvas and into the souvenir shop.

There are Morandi-inspired products, including Morandi dressed in his signature colours, soft bottle-shaped pendants inspired by his still-life paintings, and various fridge magnets drawn from his classic artworks.

Keychains, badges, notebooks and canvas bags also carry the artist's understated palette, bringing his style into everyday life.