(Photo from People's Daily Online)
Shanghai's Great World arcade reopened on Dec. 28 as an exhibition center of cultural heritage. The venue will finally be open to citizens again after 13 years.
2017 marks the centennial anniversary of the arcade. Ownership of Great World has been transferred many times, and its name has also been changed. It has witnessed the development of modern China. Now, the reopening of the arcade will offer a visual feast for eager visitors.
Great World first opened on July 14, 1917 on the corner of Avenue Edward VII (now Yan'an Road) and Yu Ya Ching Road (now Middle Xizang Road). It was the first -- and for a long time the most influential -- indoor arcade in Shanghai. It was so popular that it spawned imitations all over China.
Great World was always more like a museum with entertainment rather than a pure club. Over the course of its existence, the arcade has been transformed into an amusement park, warehouse and youth activity center. It was finally closed in 2003 due to the outbreak of the SARS epidemic.
Great World showcased the prosperity of Shanghai in the old days, supporting the dreams of Chinese people for the future. As an exhibition center for cultural relics, it is now embarking on a new path toward a new future.
