Set at the location of a former film studio in Shanghai’s downtown Xujiahui, the Shanghai Film Museum boasts 4 floors, over 70 interactive installations and a collection of 3,000 historical exhibits. As the first film museum in the city, the museum has a leading role in maintaining the international position of Shanghai film and raising awareness for the industry’s value on a national level.

Be it by dubbing classic films in a real sound studio or walking through a film-like film set on Shanghai’s famous Nanjing Road, the visitor becomes a part of the film and is invited to actively participate in it. This key concept of inclusion throughout the museum seamlessly integrates historical relics in an interactive environment, in a new cultural hotspot of international allure with a certain local touch.

A highlight is a glimpse into the archives of these ‘dream factories’ in ‘The River of Dreams’, a 50 metres long interactive ‘stream’ of films from 1949 up until today. Through a touch and play application, the visitor can ‘catch’ films in this stream and learn more about them. The success story and cultural importance of Shanghai film are underlined in an overview of the most glorious moments and relevant awards. The national anthem of the PRC, a melody that was first used in a movie and later became China’s national sound, is celebrated in a multimedia installation that combines sound, objects, videos and the lyrics of the anthem.

The museum is not only a temple of history; it makes a conscious and clear link to the present and future of filmmaking by integrating fully equipped real-time production studios, in which visitors can participate in the craft of filmmaking. A professional animation studio, post‑production studio, sound studio and live broadcasting studio enables visitors to see first hand how film professionals use traditional craft as well as modern digital technology to create features for the silver screen.

Connecting past, present and future, and incorporating functions such as DIY workshops, a 4D Cinema, a multifunctional event space, a shop and a café, the Shanghai Film Museum represents a new vision on museum design. It is a vivid and ‘living’ environment, and a meeting place where an audience of professionals and non‑professionals can interact and exchange knowledge and inspiration.