Exhibition Chronicles Suzhou Creek's Glorious Past
An exhibition titled "From Dynasty Water Gates to Waibaidu Bridge" at Shanghai History Museum allows visitors to trace the 6,000-year history of Suzhou Creek, generally regarded as Shanghai's mother river.
The nearly three-month-long exhibition brings the story of Shanghai's mother river to life through a vast collection of cultural artifacts, archival photographs, and immersive displays, transporting viewers through its thousand-year history and remarkable transformation.
The exhibition follows Shanghai's "One River, One Creek" cultural development blueprint and includes a timeline of the waterway's evaluation in five thematic categories.
It showcases prehistoric pottery, ancient manuscripts, and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) water gate artifacts, demonstrating ancient people's water-control techniques.
Old photos, century-old documents, and Waibaidu Bridge renovation components recreate the creek's bustling shipping and trading scenes.
The exhibition covers industrial legacy, revolutionary records, the rise and fall of national enterprises, and patriotic sentiments beyond water conservation and transportation.
Old and contemporary scenes side-by-side demonstrate how much the living conditions of the people have improved.
Most strikingly, the exhibition documents Suzhou Creek's ecological revival. Years of restoration have transformed the once-polluted industrial waterfronts into clean, green public spaces with cruise tours and water sports. The former "industrial rust belt" is now a popular recreation area.
This exhibition is more than just a cultural review; it provides a window into Shanghai's urban rejuvenation, ecological transformation, and improved people's well-being.
If you go
Date: Through Oct 7
Venue: Shanghai History Museum
Address: 325 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路325号
Admission: Free
