The Year of the Snake is coming soon, and various "snake elements" are attracting much attention. What cultural relics related to snakes are hidden in major museums? What related exhibitions have been launched? Walk! Let’s check in at the museum together↓↓
Shanghai Natural Museum
2025 Snake Zodiac Special Exhibition “Mysterious Snake Realm”
Recently, the 2025 Snake Zodiac Special Exhibition “Mysterious Snake Realm”, originally planned by the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, opened at the Shanghai Natural History Museum. The exhibition features 80 collections of specimens, including ancient fossil specimens and modern snake specimens, covering one-third of common snakes in China and new records in Shanghai.
Exhibition time: January 18 to April 10, 2025
Exhibition location: B2 Atrium of Shanghai Natural History Museum
Lijiashan Bronze Museum
Snake-shaped cultural relics in the collections of serpentines are on display
In the Lijiashan Bronze Museum, snake-shaped cultural relics in the collections of Snake Groupe, gilded snake-headed sword hilt, snake-headed copper axe and snake-headed copper fork are very eye-catching, and are ushering in the visiting craze.
According to reports, the ancient Dian Kingdom was very particular about animal shapes. Those who expressed power often used the shape of cows and tigers. The daily necessities were mostly water birds, and the snake shape was used on the gilded snake head-shaped sword hilt or buckles for sacrifices, showing the user's identity and status, especially the snake pattern was varied and the characteristics were obvious. Snakes are also regarded as a creature with magical powers, symbolizing wisdom, wealth, luck and longevity.
The Legend of Lingying Fairy
Shanghai Museum Year of the Snake Spring Festival Exhibition
The Shanghai Museum selected 8 cultural relics in the collection, and borrowed 5 cultural relics from the Lijiashan Bronze Museum in Yunnan and the Hubei Provincial Museum to hold the "Singying Fairy: The Legend of Lingying Fairy: The Legend of the Snake Spring Festival Exhibition in the Year of the Snake".
△The Hubei Provincial Museum of the Middle and Late Warring States Period
△The Western Han Dynasty Snake Grid Bronze Museum Yunnan Lijiashan Bronze Museum
△The Western Han Dynasty Gilded Snake Head Copper Sword Hilt Lijiashan Bronze Museum in Yunnan Lijiashan Bronze Museum in Yunnan
