Private museum struggles to survive in Shanghai

Shanghai Memories, a private museum, was set up in 2008 to display household items from the late 1800s through 1980. [Photo/CNTV]

"Shanghai Memories" is not the only private museum struggling to survive. Just 15 minutes' drive from here, Duolun Road was once home to a dozen private museums. But they have all closed due to a lack of funds.

There are 122 museums in Shanghai, but only 20 of them are registered private museums.

Professor Lu Jiansong from Fudan University has been helping the Chinese government formulate policies on museum development for years. He says although Shanghai's government provides 10 million yuan a year to support private museums, that is far from enough. And more public donations should be encouraged to help private museums.

"Codes on museums allow charity funds to support private museums in China. But our government hasn't worked out detailed policies on the issue," he said.

"We lack a policy like the national foundation on the arts and the Humanities Act in the US, which promises a tax refund if you give donations to museums. We lack such a policy to encourage public donations. So it's really hard for private museums, especially those financed by individuals, to survive."

Even without those policies, Wang says she will do everything she can to find a new home and keep her museum open to the public.