In recent years, Zhoushan has accelerated   the development of its Marine Cultural Corridor, drawing more deeply on cultural attributes, narratives, and symbols that carry the city’s history, reflect drawing more deeply on cultural attributes, narratives, and symbols that carry the city’s history, reflect its distinctive character, and enrich its cultural identity. Cultural landmark projects with strong regional resonance—such as the Zhoushan (Putuo District) Art Museum, the “micro-renovation” of Dinghai Ancient City, and the Ten-Mile Seaside Cultural Corridor in Xincheng Bay—are gaining new vitality as part of this broader cultural renewal.

Putuo District is actively advancing the construction of the Marine Cultural Corridor, positioning itself as a leading hub for contemporary marine culture. Efforts are focused on achieving a more balanced distribution of cultural infrastructure and to strengthen the availability of cultural programs and experiences. Recent openings, such as the Zhurenmin Art Museum, the Putuo Intangible Cultural Heritage Pavilion, and the Shenjiamen Fishing Port Cultural Tourism Post Station, have expanded public access to such spaces and its offerings. With the official launch of the Zhoushan (Putuo District) Art Museum, the district is also accelerating the development of additional shared public cultural venues, such as the forthcoming Shenjiamen Fishing Port Museum. By breaking down spatial boundaries and fostering a collective cultural network, Putuo aims to establish 112 high-quality cultural lifestyle zones. Initiatives under the “Encounter Putou” cultural brand—like the “Ten-Mile Fishing Port Music Festival”— are being thoughtfully curated to enrich the region’s cultural offerings. Through the interplay of culture and tourism, these efforts are driving the integrated and high-quality development of Putuo’s cultural and tourism landscape.

As one of the world’s three major fishing ports, Shenjiamen Fishing Port has long stood at the heart of Zhoushan’s fisheries and economy, shaping a deep-rooted maritime cultural heritage. The Zhoushan (Putuo District) Art Museum artistically reimagines island life through a contemporary lens, weaving together the city’s rich historical legacy with contemporary art. Grounded in a strong conceptual design foundation and supported by state-of-the-art facilities, the museum is set to become a new cultural landmark where local heritage and contemporary art converge. 

The museum was designed by Professor Wang Shu, recipient of the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize and Dean of the School of Architecture at the China Academy of Art. Known for his philosophy of “dialoguing with the world through architecture,” Professor Wang seamlessly integrates nature and humanism in his design approach. The museum’s exterior suggests a "reef" rising from the sea—its formal symmetry animated by irregular, organic gestures. When viewed from high-rise buildings across Shenjiamen Port, the museum structure reveals spatial patterns that subtly recall the compositional spirit of classical Chinese landscape painting. Inside, a sequence of gently undulating spaces evokes the sensation of walking atop rolling ocean waves, inviting visitors into an embodied, contemplative experience that defines the museum’s distinct maritime presence.  With a focus on bringing together contemporary and local art, the Zhoushan (Putuo District) Art Museum seeks to uncover and express the city’s marine identity through the lens of art, while ago engaging questions of ecological renewal and the evolving abstraction of modern life.