A delegation of foreign guests and China’s Hong Kong-based participants from the Museum Summit, which concluded in Hong Kong on March 29, gathered in Shenzhen for a one-day cultural exchange event on March 30.

The event aimed to deepen understanding of Shenzhen’s cultural landscape and urban development, while also promoting exchanges in the museum field.

The visit began with a tour of the Shenzhen Museum in Futian District, where guests explored exhibitions on Shenzhen’s folk culture and ancient history. The group then moved to the Shenzhen Contemporary Art and Urban Planning Museum, where they focused on an exhibition highlighting the city’s urban development, achievements, and future vision.

The delegation participate in a guided tour to an exhibition on representative works by late Chinese artist Yu Youhan at the new division of Shenzhen Art Museum in Longhua District on March 30. Photos by Wang Haolan

“We’ve been presenting some very futuristic ideas,” said Tone Hansen, director of The Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway’s capital. “Visiting the history of the city, its landscape, and people has become much clearer to me. What fascinates me the most is Shenzhen’s relationship with its rivers and the sea,” she added.

Hansen also expressed curiosity about Shenzhen’s maritime history, saying, “It must have been a very strong seafaring culture here, and I’m especially curious about oyster farming. I’ve learned a lot in just two hours.”

Following the morning tour, Shenzhen’s culture and tourism authority hosted an exchange meeting, where representatives from Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and other foreign cultural venues shared insights on efforts for the future development of museums.

“Shenzhen’s natural history museum sounds like an innovative project,” said Hansen after the discussion. “It will present both living plants and people alongside the history of Earth, which is quite exciting.”

In the afternoon, the group visited the Shenzhen Art Museum in Longhua District. There, they toured exhibitions including an art exhibition by Xu Lei, one of the most representative contemporary artists in China, and exhibitions titled “Masterpieces with Inscriptions Dedicated to Shenzhen Art Museum” and “Yu Youhan: Yu Youhan’s Early Experience and Late Style.”

The delegation visit an exhibition on works created by Chinese artist Xu Lei at the museum.

“The art museum is wonderful, and I would be curious to see more of the collections. It’s great that the museum has contemporary art exhibitions as well as collections. I would be especially interested in seeing the collections more,” said Marina Pugliese, director and head of MUDEC (Museum of Cultures) in Italy.

Hosted by Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Museum Summit was held from March 28 to 29 this year. The event aimed to establish a platform for the global community to engage in dialogue, exchange experiences, and explore innovative solutions for the evolving challenges and opportunities facing museums worldwide in the 21st century.