A community gathering co-hosted by Shanghai Natural History Museum and Biyun International Community took place on Sunday, bringing long-term residents together for an emotional reunion with "Funny bear," the beloved polar bear specimen that once served as Biyun's unofficial community mascot.
Community representatives toured the museum and the Funny Bear exhibit in the "River of Life" gallery, revisiting shared memories of the cross-border friendship. The specimen, a witness to Biyun's development, now carries this international bond to a wider public through the museum.
Funny bear was a gift from Canada's Igloo Group of Mundare, Alberta, to Jinqiao in the 1990s, a symbol of China-Canada friendship during Jinqiao Biyun's development. It was displayed at Biyun Villa Clubhouse for nearly two decades before being donated to the Shanghai Natural History Museum in Oct, 2019. Following restoration, it opened to the public in Jan, 2020.
"Two decades on, this donation is a continuation of memories, not a farewell. Many Biyun residents are here today, and we are deeply touched. It carries their childhood, neighborhood bonds and precious family memories," said Zhang Ping, deputy general manager of Shanghai Biyun Hotel Management Co Ltd.
Ryan Anderson, CFO of Ford Motor (China) and a Biyun resident of over four years, added: "It's such a magnificent creature. It was a shame it was kept in such a small space before. It's wonderful that it's now on public display for more people to see." Ezzarhouni Adnan, a Shanghai Magnolia Award winner and nearly seven-year Biyun resident, said, "It's a great way to look back on our shared history."
According to Zhang Yunfei, director of Collection Conservation and Research Center at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, the specimen has drawn nearly 3 million annual visitors in its almost 10 years at the museum. "We recently launched the 'All Things Documentable' initiative, calling on private collectors to donate or loan specimens. This will help our collections reach beyond niche groups and deliver science popularization value to both local and international visitors."
Chen Tianyi contributed to this story.
