Metropolises such as Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong captivate with their vibrant museum scene and have gained recognition in recent years for their diverse themes, technological innovation, architecturally noteworthy new buildings, and educational programming. In November 2024 and February 2025, a group of German museum directors travelled together with staff members of the museum agency to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Deyang und Chongquing, where they gained insights into the dynamic museum and cultural scenes, engaged in discussions with local colleagues, and explored possibilities for future cooperation.

The first trip in November 2024 included stops in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai. In Hong Kong, the group visited M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong. The itinerary in Beijing included visits to the National Museum of China, the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, the Palace Museum, and the Tsinghua University Art Museum. In Shanghai, the group went to the Shanghai Museum East and the Museum of Art Pudong. Participants also met with representatives from museums and cultural institutions to discuss current developments in the museum sector, such as shared authorship in curatorial processes and new developments in restoration and conservation. 

The second trip in February 2025 picked up where these conversations left off and broadened the scope to include important cultural locations such as Chengdu, Deyang and Chongqing. In Shanghai, participants visited the Long Museum West Bund, the West Bund Museum, and the Power Station of Art. In Chengdu, they went to the A4 Art Museum, the Sichuan Museum, the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, the Chengdu Museum, and the Tianfu Art Park. Other places visited included the Yuelai Art Museum, the cultural and creative park Testbed 2, and the Chongqing Guotai Arts Center as well as the Sanxingdui Museum in Deyang. The exchanges with colleagues on site provided valuable impetuses for the further development of joint projects.

These trips were part of the museum agency’s programme International Perspectives. One of the programme’s goals is to initiate cooperation through the organisation of research trips to regions with dynamic museum landscapes and the facilitation of initial in-person meetings amongst international museum professionals.