Visitors are attracted by an installation at the Shenzhen International Museum of Art. Xinhua
As the 2026 National Day holiday approaches, Shenzhen and the surrounding Greater Bay Area are offering a rich lineup of exhibitions spanning ancient artifacts, modern masterpieces, contemporary printmaking, and more. From major museums in Shenzhen to day-trip destinations in Hong Kong and Macao, here's a guide to the exhibitions worth catching during the break.
Pan Yuliang exhibition
At "Painted Visage, Spirited Line," an exhibition dedicated to the legendary artist Pan Yuliang, visitors can admire 90 works from the Anhui Museum collection, including oil paintings, ink-and-color paintings, and line drawings. Together, they offer a comprehensive view of an artist who refused to be confined to any single artistic tradition.
Dates: Through Nov. 29
Venue: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Futian District (深圳市当代艺术与城市规划馆)
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children's Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit A2
The art of Huang Zhou
"For What I love: The Art of Huang Zhou" presents 80 classic works by Huang Zhou, one of the most important Chinese painters of the 20th century.
Huang is celebrated for his figure paintings and his famous depictions of donkeys. The exhibition examines his artistic legacy from three angles—real life, artistic exploration, and traditional inheritance—and is accompanied by photographs, video, and other archival materials.
Dates: Through Dec. 4
Venue: Shenzhen International Museum of Art, Guangming District (深圳国际美术馆)
Metro: Line 6 to Guangming Station (光明站), Exit D, then take a taxi
Figurative oil paintings
"Passing the Torch Through the Brush: An Exhibition of Figurative Oil Paintings" invites visitors to experience the enduring appeal of light, shadow, and pigment in oil painting.
The exhibition features works by five contemporary artists who have devoted themselves to oil painting over many years: Yang Feiyun, Zhang Linong, Zhang Yibo, Zhu Chunlin, and Chang Lei.
Dates: Through Oct. 7
Venue: He Xiangning Art Museum, Nanshan District (何香凝美术馆)
Metro: Line 1 to OCT Station (华侨城站), Exit C
Intl. print exhibition
"The Charm of Plurality—International Print Exhibition" brings together 156 print works, including works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Zao Wou-Ki, from 17 countries and regions, covering relief, intaglio, planographic, and stencil printing, as well as mixed techniques.
Dates: Through Oct. 7
Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Futian District (深圳关山月美术馆)
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children's Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit F
Artifacts from Three Gorges
An exhibition featuring 361 artifacts excavated from the Three Gorges region offers visitors a rare glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the Yangtze River area. The exhibition presents bronze wares, iron objects, pottery, porcelain, and paleontological fossils spanning multiple historical periods.
Dates: Through Oct. 25
Venue: Nanshan Museum, Nanshan District (南山博物馆)
Metro: Line 12 to Nantou Ancient City Station (南头古城站), Exit E4
A visitor photographs paintings at the "Flowers of Dunhuang" exhibition at the Shenzhen Art Museum's Longhua division.Hu Lei
'Flowers of Dunhuang'
"Flowers of Dunhuang: Chang Shana Art Research and Application Exhibition" is a major retrospective celebrating the life and work of Chang Shana, featuring nearly 300 works and archival materials spanning her eight-decade career. It traces how Chang transformed ancient Dunhuang motifs into modern design language, from her early mural copies at the Mogao Caves to iconic projects such as the ceiling decoration of the Great Hall of the People and the "Forever Blooming Bauhinia" sculpture for Hong Kong.
Dates: Through Dec. 13
Venue: Shenzhen Art Museum (Longhua Division), Longhua District (深圳美术馆新馆)
Metro: Line 4 or 6 to Hongshan Station (红山站), Exit A1
World of cats and dogs
"Dear Love: The World of Cats and Dogs" puts visitors in the paws of cats and dogs through interactive games, videos, illustrations, and tactile objects. The exhibition offers a playful, sensory journey to better understand their morphology, intelligence, behaviors, and their place in human society.
Dates: Through Oct. 8
Venue: Shenzhen Museum's History and Folk Culture Division, Jintian Road, Futian District (深圳博物馆金田路馆-历史民俗)
Metro: Line 2 or 4 to Civic Center Station (市民中心站), Exit B
A wig ring on display at the "Treasures of Global Jewelry" exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.Xinhua
The Met's rare jewelry
Jointly organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, "Treasures of Global Jewelry" showcases stories of world jewelry from different eras, regions, and curatorial perspectives. Featuring around 200 masterpieces, the event is the first major exhibition in Hong Kong dedicated to the narratives of jewelry and human adornment, spanning five continents and 4,000 years.
Dates: Through Oct. 19
Venue: Gallery 8, Hong Kong Palace Museum, West Kowloon, Hong Kong
Qing Dynasty Guangdong paintings
A new exhibition showcasing the rich artistic heritage of Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) Guangdong paintings' has opened at the Macao Museum of Art (MAM). Titled "Lucidity in a Prosperous Era: Guangdong Paintings of the Qing Dynasty," it brings together 136 works by 54 artists from four museums, offering a comprehensive overview of the region's artistic evolution from the early to late Qing period.
Dates: Through Nov. 2
Venue: Macao Museum of Art, Avenida Xian Xinghai, Macao
