China Securities Museum | Discover the prosperity beyond the flowers!

🌿 Located on the Bund in Shanghai, the China Securities Museum is the best place to learn about the development of China's securities industry. Without much preamble, the museum directly opens the curtain on the history of China's finance industry, from the early exploration of the joint-stock system to the sophisticated structure of the modern securities market. With a wealth of exhibits and detailed information, you can embark on a journey of knowledge exploration and uncover the mystery behind the securities industry. 🌈 The ultimate guide to the China Securities Museum‼️‼️ Avoid the pitfalls I encountered＼(`Δ’) ❤️ At the north end of the Waibaidu Bridge, there is a hotel built in 1858 called the Astor House Hotel, formerly known as the Richards Hotel. Many celebrities have stayed here, and many "firsts" in the process of modernization have taken place here: the first use of telephones, electric lights, gas, and tap water, the first circus performance, the first film screening, etc. Now, as the China Securities Museum, it has four floors open to the public, with several exhibitions, including the Astor House Hotel History Exhibition, the History of China's Capital Market Exhibition, and the Xiangcai Lidao Collection Highlights Exhibition. 🎫 Tickets: 🆓 No reservation required 🕒 Opening hours: 9:30–16:00 (last admission at 15:30, closed on Mondays) ⏱️ Duration: 1.5–2.5 hours 🚇 Transportation: Take Metro Line 10/12 to Tiantong Road Station, Exit 3, and walk 850 meters 🗺️ Nearby historic buildings: Shanghai Postal Museum (500 meters) 📆 Year of construction: 1858–1925 📝 History In 1846, British businessman Richards founded the Richards Hotel, the first foreign-owned hotel in Shanghai after the opening of the port. The original site was on Shanghai Mansion Road (now Jinling East Road, the Bund). In 1858, it was moved to its current location. In 1876, a new guest room building was built, which is now known as the "Middle Building," a three-story building. From 1903 to 1925, the Richards Hotel underwent several renovations and expansions to form its current size and style. During World War II, the Richards Hotel was forced to be transferred to a Japanese company. After the victory of World War II until 1949, the hotel was rented to the US Navy Club. In 1954, it was taken over by the Shanghai Municipal Government. In 1959, it was renamed the Astor House Hotel. On December 19, 1990, the Shanghai Stock Exchange was officially established at the Astor House Hotel. On December 22, 2018, it was opened to the public as the China Securities Museum. 🏛️ Architectural features The building has six floors and is mainly in the British neoclassical style, with Victorian elements. It can be roughly divided into five parts: Huangpu Road Building, Jinshan Road Building, Daming Road Building, Middle Building, and Peacock Hall. The gray exterior walls have towers on the roof at the corners, with a Victorian-style corridor atrium and an open skylight for lighting. The ground floor has arched doors and windows, the main entrance has a large iron canopy, the second floor has a balcony, the third and fourth floors have Ionic columns, and the fifth floor has large arched windows. The Peacock Hall on the first floor is about 10 meters high and can accommodate 500 people for a banquet. The hall has 12 Roman marble columns and 12 elegant semicircular boxes on the second floor. The floor of the Richards Hall on the second floor is made of teak and is shaped like a cello. It also has a spring floor, which feels soft and comfortable to walk on.