If you desire a culturally-inspired day out with the family, look no further than the Yuz Museum Shanghai. Strategically positioned on Shanghai’s hottest cultural strip on the West Bund, this modern art museum extends over 9,000 square meters of exhibition space. Here is our rundown of the venue highlights and what’s to come in the future.
The Venue
This private museum, founded by Indonesian-Chinese philanthropist Budi Tek, is home to an impressive array of contemporary art collections. The building itself was converted from the former Longhua Airport hangar, and the industrial traces of this can be observed in the exposed steel ridges. What’s more, the interior provides for generous exhibition space that matches Tek’s appetite for monumental installations. Since opening in 2014, the museum has reaped international recognition due to its consistent showcasing of famous works by the likes of Alberto Giacometti, KAWS and Xu Zhen. In a review by Barbara Pollack from Art News she attests, “Yuz Museum, along with the adjacent Long Museum West Bund, are the two contemporary art institutions in Shanghai operating at international standards.”
What's On
The return of the Yuz-commissioned installation Rain Room, as part of the Everything & Nothing exhibition, caused quite a stir in the media world when the show opened earlier in April. Created by a team of London- and Berlin-based designers collectively known as Random International, this exhibition challenges the boundary between our bodies and our daily, sensory experiences - made possible with the aid of technological intervention. The iconic Rain Room welcomes visitors to wander through curtains of falling rain and, thanks to motion sensors, remain dry while fully immersed in the sight and sound of rainfall.
Upcoming Show
A new show titled Charlie Chaplin: A Vision will open to the public this weekend. Co-produced by Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne and Yuz Museum, this exhibition pays tribute to the legendary comedian and actor, by showcasing rare photographs and screening some of his most iconic films. Needless to say, it’s an excellent opportunity to introduce kids to the man who swept the world off its feet with his emblematic mustache-and-cane look.
Food & Drinks
The glass extension of the museum houses the cafeteria, with generous seating across various levels of open space. Families can count on a wide selection of freshly-prepared salads, pasta dishes, desserts and Indonesian specialties for lunch, or as a snack.
The Location
Right outside the museum, you will find 3.6 kilometers of riverside walkway and recreational space, part of the West Bund developmental scheme boasting publicly accessible parks and water-friendly passages. While the area behind the museum might seem rugged for the time being, more cultural institutions like the Centre Pompidou will spruce up in the vicinity in the future.
Kid-Approved
The museum also hosts regular workshops inspired by current exhibitions for kids and adults. For instance, to complement the Rain Room exhibition, the museum organized a crafts session where young ones created colorful raindrops and umbrellas. To stay updated on upcoming workshops, follow Yuz Museum’s official WeChat account.
Everything & Nothing, until Oct 8. Charlie Chaplin: A Vision, Jun 8-Oct 7. Book tickets here. Scan the QR code for Yuz Museum's official WeChat account. Yuz Museum.
