As summer vacation draws to a close, people are invited to embark on a cultural journey along the Suzhou Creek waterfront in Putuo District. 

"From Dynasty Water Gates to Waibaidu Bridge," the opening exhibition of the 6th Half‑Marathon Suhe Culture and Tourism Festival, has opened at the Shanghai History Museum, unfolding the waterway's centuries‑long story.
 
Beyond gallery exhibits, tourists are encouraged to walk along the riverbank and explore three landmark venues: Shanghai Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum, Suzhou Creek Industrial Civilization Museum and Putuo District Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. The three sites deliver distinct perspectives for an immersive deep‑dive into Suzhou Creek's age‑old cultural heritage.
 
Shanghai Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Museum
 
The Zhidanyuan Yuan‑Dynasty sluice ruins, unearthed accidentally during construction work, represent China's largest and best‑preserved water‑conservancy site dating back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The relic bears witness to ancient flood‑control efforts on Wusong River and embodies the sophisticated hydraulic wisdom of ancient engineers.
 
Standing on the glass‑floor walkway overlooking the excavation site, visitors can picture how this precise hydraulic facility regulated water levels and kept water‑transport routes open seven centuries ago. The ruins record prosperous trade across the Wusong River basin and the historic water‑transport network linking Shanghai and the Taihu Lake area. The special exhibition "From Dynasty Water Gates to Waibaidu Bridge" traces its origin to this underground treasure in Putuo, offering travelers a chance to connect with Shanghai's distant past after viewing the downtown show.
 
Venue Information

Address: 619 Yanchang West Road (near Zhidan Road)

Opening hours: 9am‑4:30pm, Tuesday‑Sunday (last admission 4pm). Closed on Mondays.

Suzhou Creek Industrial Civilization Museum

If the ancient sluice tells Suzhou Creek's ancient chapter, the museum narrates its dramatic modern‑industrial story. Nestled inside the greenbelt of Changfeng Ecological Business District, the venue was renovated from the former Shanghai No.1 Glasses Factory. Its red‑brick exterior and steel‑frame structure constitute living industrial heritage along the creek.
 
Within its 800‑square‑meter exhibition space, artifacts and multimedia displays chronicle Suzhou Creek's industrial evolution from Shanghai's port‑opening era from early foreign‑funded cotton mills to the rise of national‑owned industries and large‑scale industrial construction after 1949. Both river banks once functioned as the cradle of China's modern industry. At the exhibition's exit, a futuristic mechanical screen plays the short film "Waterfront of Suzhou Creek in 2035," closing the narrative loop of the creek's transformation from an industrial rust‑belt into a vibrant public waterfront.
 
Venue Information
Address: 2690 Guangfu West Road (Greenbelt No.5, Changfeng Ecological Business District)
Opening hours: 8:30am‑4:30pm, Tuesday‑Sunday (last admission 4pm). Closed on Mondays.
 
Putuo District Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum
 
After discovering Suzhou Creek's history, visitors can experience its living contemporary culture at Putuo District Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. Covering 1,058 square meters, it ranks as Shanghai's newest and largest comprehensive exhibition and experience space for intangible cultural heritage, showcasing 39 heritage items across three thematic zones - Folk Customs, Wellness & Health, and Melodies & Crafts.
 
Digital‑twin and VR technologies power a 720‑degree panoramic virtual exhibition hall. Blending physical exhibits, reconstructed scenes and immersive digital projections, the museum turns passive sightseeing into hands‑on participation. Tourists may experience traditional craftsmanship while exploring new‑age forms of heritage revitalization empowered by digital innovation.
 
Venue Information
Address: 5‑6/F, Putuo District Cultural Center, 138 Lanxi Road
Opening hours: 8:30am‑4:30pm, Tuesday‑Sunday (last admission 4pm). Closed on Mondays.
 
Running from July through October, the 6th Half‑Marathon Suhe Culture and Tourism Festival, a flagship event of Shanghai Tourism Festival, spans both summer vacation and golden autumn travel seasons. It features hundreds of high‑quality cultural, tourism, sports and exhibition activities on four themes - Waterfront Exploration, Art Appreciation, Shopping in Putuo and Artistic Home.
 
The stories of Suzhou Creek stretch far beyond museum walls. Visitors are welcome to slow‑walk along the riverbank in Putuo and trace thousands of years of waterfront civilization starting from the ancient Yuan‑Dynasty sluice site.