More than just a school

CY Tung Maritime Museum

Located in Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Xuhui campus, the two-story CY Tung Maritime Museum is a Western-style building that has a traditional Chinese central courtyard.

Opened to the public in 2003, the museum covers an area of 600 sq m and houses more than a thousand artifacts, the highlight of which is a large collection of ship models that provide a glimpse into Chinese maritime history and the life of Chao Yung Tung, a legendary Chinese shipping magnate.

On the first floor, visitors will find halls containing relics such as maps, photographs and models of ancient ships related to the voyages of the famous admiral Zheng He. Also found on this level is a showcase of "qianxingshu", which refers to navigation using stars. In the experience zone, visitors can assume the role of Zheng and try their hand at plotting a course using this navigation technique.

Up to 90 percent of the ship models on exhibition are handmade by Zhang Yuqi. The craft of building ship models is regarded as an intangible cultural heritage of Shanghai.

"Shanghai has been an important port in China since the ancient times, so shipping is critical to the development of Shanghai. The museum presents the development of ships and marine trades, and reflects the history of the shipping industry in Shanghai," said Zhang.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.

Cheng Si in Shanghai contributed to the story.