Lujiazui in Shanghai's Pudong New Area will be home to a new cultural landmark, the east branch of Shanghai Museum, according to an announcement by the Pudong New Area Planning and Land Authority.

The branch, which sits to the west of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, will cover a total floor area of 100,000 square meters. It is designed to be a world-class museum of classical Chinese art, including calligraphic art, paintings, and handicrafts.

The new museum aims to introduce ancient Chinese art to the world and promote Shanghai's cultural development. It also hopes to attract an increased number of young visitors by using advanced digital technology.

The east branch is considered complementary to the original museum, which mainly displays bronzes and ceramics. The original Shanghai Museum covers an area of 39,200 square meters with 11 galleries and three special temporary exhibition halls.

The idea of establishing a new branch solves problems of limited space and a lack of display area in the Shanghai Museum, explained Yang Zhigang, the museum's curator. The construction is expected to be completed in 2020.

Location of the east branch of Shanghai Museum in Lujiazui, Pudong New Area of Shanghai. [Photo/WeChat account: lujiazuijrc]