Shanghai dioramas

A couple years ago, I traveled to Shanghai for the first time on a solo trip. It was awesome! With the World Expo now underway, it seems timely to honor our sister city’s huge “coming out” party with a personal celebration of the unique metropolis.

I’d like to share my pictures from the Shanghai Municipal History Museum. It’s located in Pudong, on the less “interesting” side of the Huangpu River (more developed, boring), in the basement of the iconic Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

The museum’s name, though bland, is self-explanatory. I didn’t know what to expect, but it left an indelible impression. I loved it! Some people frown upon dioramas, perhaps because the worst kinds forsake content, quality, and depth for spectacle and cheap thrills, and they tend to be hokey. True in many cases, but not so for this particular museum. I can’t vouch for its scholarship, and maybe I’m just lazy, but I learned a lot about the rich history of Shanghai from the  amazing, elaborate, impressive dioramas.

Half the time I wore a huge childlike smile, taken by the clever methods used to tell a grand story. A lot of ground was covered in Shanghai’s tumultuous history, and the many ugly realities weren’t sugarcoated. They used frighteningly realistic figures, miniature cardboard cut-outs of real people, photo backdrops, music and ambient sounds, video installs, etc. Sure, I’ll admit, there was a teeny bit of cheesiness, but in the best way possible. Who doesn’t love a bit of cheese? (and if you want pure chintz, the Shanghai Sex Museum is around the corner from this one).

What do you think? Are dioramas ever okay in museums? Can exhibits be too immersive? What are some fine examples of terrific diorama museums? (I’ll chime in: the War Memorial of Korea has some).

And now, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves:
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2 Responses to “Shanghai dioramas”

  1. duriandave  on May 6th, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    Wah… so cool! I’m bummed that I missed this museum when I visited Shanghai a few years ago.

    I love the use of the photographic cut-outs. And is that a “giant” janitor mopping up the floor of the teahouse in the last photo?!

    Of course, dioramas are okay in a museum. They may be lowbrow compared to art hanging on a wall, but nothing can beat their ability to excite the imagination.

    The Hong Kong Museum of History has lots of dioramas, but they aren’t as populated with inhabitants as the Shanghai museum.

    Thanks for sharing!

  2. bittermelon  on May 6th, 2010 at 3:13 pm

    Hi Dave,

    Thanks for your comment, appreciate it. I’m bummed you missed it too, but if you ever go back, please check it out. It was quite something.

    And yup, that is a “giant” janitor mopping up! Kinda nice cuz it gives you a sense of scale. I too was impressed with the photographic cut-outs. And not just them, but the effort that must’ve gone into creating just that one scene! Actors, costumes, the photography, etc etc.

    Anyway, thanks again.


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