An ongoing exhibition at the Shanghai Museum commemorates the life and journey of Marco Polo (1254-1324), one of the most celebrated travelers from the West to China.

This year marks the 700th anniversary of the death of the Italian merchant and adventurer. The exhibition named, "Wonders of the World: China and Beyond in the Eyes of Marco Polo," features 304 pieces/sets of artifacts from 28 museums and other cultural institutions in China and Italy.

Opening on Nov 23, the exhibition will go on till March 30, 2025, at the Shanghai Museum on People's Square.

Marco Polo started his voyage from his hometown of Venice and traveled from Europe to Asia, walking along the ancient Silk Road in 1271-95. He remained in China for 17 years (1274-91) and later wrote about the experience in The Million, better known in English as the Travels of Marco Polo.

"In China, he was bedazzled by the magnificent architecture in the capital cities and came face to face with the empire's lively commercial markets. He witnessed the fierce conditions of rugged lands as well as the vivacity of trade at seaports. Indeed, all the lives and wonders that he captured on his travels to China and elsewhere were the epitome of the ancient world of globalization in the thirteenth century," reads the preface for the exhibition at the Shanghai Museum.

Marco Polo was "by no means a solitary traveler," Chu Xiaobo, director of Shanghai Museum said at the opening on Nov 22. "In his time, there was an endless stream of merchants, envoys, pilgrims and artists moving back and forth on the ancient Silk Road. Many travelers left records of political culture, social beliefs, and economic life. From these historical texts, it is not difficult to see that each civilization has its own strengths. They learn from each other and together contribute to the progress of world history."

The exhibition is divided into five parts: City of Commerce, Bilateral Exchange, Capital of Splendor, The Bustling World, and The Traveler.

Among the exhibits are documents, prints, silk, glass and ceramic artifacts, coins, paintings and so on. Institutions from Italy presented a large number of precious historical documents such as the will of Marco Polo, and exhibits from the Chinese institutions featured communications between East and West, such as merchandise in the trade, maritime maps and navigational tools.

Shanghai Museum and the City of Venice jointly presented The Worlds of Marco Polo: The Journey of a 13th Century Venetian Merchant at Doge's Palace in Venice from Apr 6 to Sep 29. The curators from Italy and the Shanghai Museum have redesigned and updated the exhibition design and narrative to present the ongoing exhibition in Shanghai.

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