AT A GLANCE
Why go?
The Shenzhen Museum History and Folk Customs Hall (also known as the Jintian Road Branch) occupies a striking modern building within the Civic Center complex in Futian District. Opened in December 2008, it traces the story of Shenzhen from an ancient coastal settlement through colonial-era upheavals to its transformation into a global metropolis — all under one roof.↗↗
With roughly 10,000 square metres of exhibition space across three floors, five permanent displays, and two rotating galleries that regularly bring world-class touring shows, this is the single best place to understand how Shenzhen became the city it is today. Admission is free.↗↗
Permanent Exhibitions
The core narrative unfolds across four permanent galleries arranged chronologically. On the second floor, Ancient Shenzhen surveys the archaeology and early history of this corner of Guangdong, while Modern Shenzhen picks up the story through the Qing dynasty, the Opium Wars, and the colonial period that saw the area carved into treaty ports. Also on the second floor, the Folk Customs gallery occupies approximately 2,300 square metres and displays more than 800 artefacts — production tools, household implements, costumes, and ritual objects — organised into four sections: regional customs, Cantonese (Guangfu) life, Hakka traditions, and maritime culture. The exhibition paints a vivid picture of the farming and fishing communities that called this land home long before skyscrapers rose.
