Whether you're into Renaissance paintings, Chinese history, classic comics, or the natural world, Guangdong has something to explore this July. Here are four exhibitions that offer a closer look at art, culture and science across Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Masterpieces from Glasgow Museums
文艺复兴的交响——格拉斯哥博物馆藏大师作品展
Bringing one of Glasgow Museums' finest collections of Italian art to China, this exhibition showcases nearly 70 masterpieces spanning the 14th to the 19th centuries. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles and historic objects trace the evolution of Italian art across more than 500 years.
Visitors can see original works by Renaissance masters including Tiziano Vecelli, Giovanni Bellini, Tintoretto, and Giuseppe Cesari, displayed alongside first-class cultural relics from the Guangdong Museum. Together, they create a rare dialogue between Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
Jacopo Tintoretto, The Ordeal of Tuccia(Photo: Guangdong Museum)
Beyond the masterpieces, the exhibition explores how ideas travelled across cultures. Special sections compare Renaissance painting with Chinese artistic traditions, from the use of mineral pigments and different approaches to perspective.
Designed as an immersive journey, the exhibition features reconstructed Renaissance artists' studios, interactive displays and hands-on experiences that bring art history to life. Visitors can also enjoy guided tours, creative workshops, themed café treats inspired by Tiziano Vecelli, and a series of public events that extend the Renaissance experience beyond the museum and into the city.
Event Details
Guangzhou
Dates: July 1 to October 18
Venue: Guangdong Museum
Address: No. 2, Zhujiang East Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District
Tickets: Via the official Guangdong Museum WeChat account
Beetle Friends: A Journey into the beetle world
虫友：寻访甲虫世界
Insects have been thriving on Earth for nearly 400 million years, long before the dinosaurs. This summer, Guangdong Museum invites visitors to explore their extraordinary world through more than 1,000 specimens of insects, birds and plants, alongside over 20 cultural artifacts.
The exhibition showcases a dazzling variety of insects, from colourful butterflies and jewel beetles to giant stick insects and praying mantises, revealing the remarkable diversity of life on our planet. It also explores how insects have influenced Chinese culture through historical artifacts, offering a fresh perspective on the relationship between nature and human creativity.
Blending natural history with cultural heritage, the exhibition is a chance to look closer at the tiny creatures that have shaped Earth's ecosystems for hundreds of millions of years and discover why the smallest lives often tell the biggest stories.
Event Details
Guangzhou
Opening Date: July 17
Venue: Guangdong Museum
Address: No. 2, Zhujiang East Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District
Admission: Free
Reservations: Via the official Guangdong Museum WeChat account
What's in the bubble? Over a century of Belgian comics
气泡王国——比利时国宝漫画百年巡礼
From Tintin and The Smurfs to Gaston, this exhibition celebrates more than a century of Belgian comics and the stories that have captivated readers around the world.
Often regarded as one of the birthplaces of modern European comics, Belgium has produced generations of artists whose work goes far beyond children's entertainment. Their comics blend adventure, humour and imagination with reflections on society, everyday life and the human condition, shaping the distinctive "clear line" style that has influenced comic creators worldwide.
Pieter De Poortere, Dickie Series, Illustration (Photo: Art Museum, Guangming Culture and Art Center)
Featuring original artwork, rare manuscripts, vintage posters, animation cels and immersive installations, the exhibition brings together nine of Belgium's most iconic comic series, including The Smurfs, The Adventures of Tintin, Benoît Brisefer, Johan & Pirlouit, and Marsupilami. Visitors can trace the evolution of beloved characters, discover how classic comics were created, and step into the worlds that inspired generations of readers.
The exhibition also highlights the cultural ties between China and Belgium, from Hergé's friendship with Chinese artist Zhang Chongren, which inspired The Blue Lotus, to the enduring popularity of Belgian comics among Chinese audiences. Whether you grew up with Tintin and the Smurfs or are discovering them for the first time, this exhibition offers a nostalgic and fascinating journey into one of Europe's richest comic traditions.
Event Details
Shenzhen
Dates: July 2 to September 19
Venue: Art Museum, Guangming Culture and Art Center
Address: Intersection of Chuangtou Road and Guanguang Road, Guangming District
Admission: No tickets or reservations required.
Return of National Treasures: The Bronze Animal Heads & The Memories of Ancient China
国宝归来：圆明园兽首与古代中国的物质记忆
Some objects survive not only as works of art, but as witnesses to history. Bringing together 76 treasures spanning more than 3,000 years, this exhibition explores how cultural relics preserve the memory of a civilization.
At its heart are the famous bronze zodiac heads from the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan). Created in the 18th century as part of an elaborate fountain clock, they became symbols of China's lost cultural heritage after the palace was destroyed and looted in 1860. Over the years, seven of the twelve heads have found their way back to China through donations, purchases and other efforts, while five are still missing. Their long journey home has transformed them into enduring symbols of cultural memory and heritage.
The Ox Head from the Old Summer Palace, on display in the exhibition (Photo: Shenzhen International Museum of Art)
The exhibition also presents magnificent bronze ritual vessels from ancient China and Buddhist stone sculptures from the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), revealing the extraordinary craftsmanship, artistic vision and spiritual traditions that have shaped Chinese civilization across the centuries.
More than a display of priceless artifacts, the exhibition is a reflection on remembrance, resilience and preservation. It invites visitors to look beyond the objects themselves and discover the stories they carry and why protecting cultural heritage remains a shared responsibility for future generations.
Event Details
Shenzhen
Dates: May 30 to July 20
Venue: Shenzhen International Museum of Art
Address: No. 16 Guanghui Avenue, Guangming District
Tickets:
Standard: RMB 60
Parent & Child (1 Adult + 1 Child): RMB 92
Family (2 Adults + 1 Child): RMB 143
Concession: RMB 48
*Concession tickets are available for eligible visitors.
Get Tickets: Scan the QR code below
Text: Li Muzi, Huang Zifan (Intern)
Poster: Lai Meiya
