The Development Course of Shanghai Astronomical Museum

The main building of the former Sheshan Observatory is an excellent French building built in 1898, which was listed as a municipal cultural relics protection unit by the Shanghai Municipal Government in 2002. However, due to the disrepair of the building, it was dilapidated before the overhaul. Fortunately, the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Shanghai Cultural Relics Management Committee have assumed the responsibility of protecting this historical relic and promoting its revival. After years of argumentation, the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission officially invested in the construction of the "Shanghai Astronomy Museum" at the end of 2003, and included it in one of the top ten practical popular science projects of the Shanghai Municipal Government and the upgrading and reconstruction projects of the popular science education base in Shanghai in 2004. At the same time, the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Management Committee also allocated funds to assist the Shanghai Observatory in the historic renovation of this century-old main building. After nearly a year of museum construction and four months of architectural overhaul. Now, what is presented to you is an excellent building that has basically restored its original historical appearance. Among them, what is presented to you is a new museum that not only embodies the profound historical connotation of the Observatory, but also has the function of popular science education.

Shanghai Astronomical Museum is located at the top of Xishe Mountain in Songjiang District, Shanghai. Its predecessor was the Sheshan Observatory with European architectural style built by French Catholic Jesuits in 1900. It is the oldest modern observatory in China. 1962 changed its name to Sheshan Workstation of Shanghai Observatory and became an important astronomical research base. Twenty years ago, the focus of its work gradually shifted to cultural relics protection and popular science education, and it was designated as the national popular science education base in 1999. In 2004, Sheshan Station of Shanghai Observatory built a unique Shanghai Astronomical Museum on the basis of a century-old station.

The museum includes two exhibition halls: "Time and Humanities" and "Astronomical Exchange between China and Foreign Countries". The former shows the basic concept of time, expounds the relationship between time and human society and life, and the contribution of Shanghai Observatory to China's time work. The latter shows the development history of modern astronomical science in China with rich historical materials of cultural relics, and introduces relevant astronomical knowledge. Among them, the 40cm binoculars refraction telescope built in 1900 is the oldest large astronomical telescope in China, which can be described as the treasure of the town hall. In addition, the museum park also has constellation square, sundial, international longitude joint survey monument and other attractions.