Chongqing, a vibrant city, hosts various art museums. These galleries present a landscape where modern creativity and cultural heritage converge, serve as a sanctuary for art enthusiasts, and beacons for those seeking to immerse themselves in the artistic expressions of both local and international artists. This guide aims to unveil the city's primary art galleries, inviting visitors to delve into the heart of Chongqing's artistic landscape.

Chongqing Art Museum

The Chongqing Art Museum was established on the foundation of the original Chongqing Painting Academy (Chongqing Chinese Painting Academy), founded in 1981, and has significantly contributed to the development and prosperity of Chongqing's art scene.

With a floor area of 8,200 square meters, the museum houses four exhibition halls and approximately 1,000 meters of exhibition space. It is responsible for the arrangement and exhibition of artworks, collection and acquisition efforts, guiding the creation and promotion of art pieces, conducting research on art theory, engaging in international exchanges, and providing art training services. The museum was opened to the public for free in October 2013.

- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (entry stops at 4:30 PM), closed on Mondays (except for legal holidays and under special circumstances)

- Address: Floors 5-6, Guotai Arts Center, No. 1 Linjiang Road, Jiefangbei Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-63250993

Luo Zhongli Art Museum

Luo Zhongli Art Museum, also known as the Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, is among Chongqing's three major provincial art museums and the city's largest. It opened in October 2014 and covers 23,000 square meters. The museum's facade, boldly adorned with colorful ceramic tiles featuring oversized figures and nature motifs, was constructed using cost-effective "waste" tiles from factories, resulting in a striking visual impact at a minimal cost.

Focusing on cultural and art exhibitions, the museum showcases a variety of art forms, including Chinese paintings, oil paintings, prints, and sculptures. Designed to international standards with ceilings up to 12 meters high, it can host any art exhibition, making it a distinctive cultural landmark in Chongqing.

- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Mondays and entry stops at 4:30 PM)

- Address: No. 56 South Road, University Town, Chongqing

- Phone: 17784080200

Museum of Contemporary Art. Chongqing

The Museum of Contemporary Art, one of the three major provincial art museums in Chongqing, has a history of nearly 40 years. Located within the Huangjueping Campus of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, the museum spans 7,800 square meters and features seven exhibition halls, each designed with unique architectural and functional aspects. It specializes in contemporary visual arts, incorporating exhibition, research, and promotion. 

The museum serves as a comprehensive institution for exhibition, communication, research, collection, education, and promotion of contemporary art, aiming to integrate and interact with global contemporary art. 

- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Mondays and entry stops at 4:30 PM)

- Address: No. 108 Main Street, Huangjueping, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-86181870

Long Museum Chongqing

Opened in May 2016, Long Museum Chongqing spans 12,000 square meters and has three halls, including a seven-meter-high main hall. It focuses on showcasing works by Sichuan and Chongqing artists and themes related to these two places while also hosting international art to merge traditional and global perspectives.

Located within a commercial building, the museum integrates art into daily life, offering spaces for children's education, reading, and events. It also enriches the business environment with art lectures, workshops, and public educational activities.

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 09:30–17:30 (closed Mondays, entry until 17:00, holidays excluded).

- Address: No.9, JuXianYan Plaza, Jiangbei District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-67961268

Yuelai Art Museum

Founded by Chongqing Yuelai Investment Group, the Yuelai Art Museum is a non-profit art institution focused on contemporary art through high-tech, cultural innovation, and multimedia. It aims to explore the fusion of art with technology and the Internet, envisioning future possibilities for art and urban culture.

Located by the Jialing River, using "negative architecture," the museum blends with its surroundings, offering indoor and outdoor spaces. It features various galleries and immersive areas, supporting both local and international exhibitions and activities. Yuelai Art Museum enhances urban aesthetics with its diverse public art displays, enriching city life and culture.

- Opening Hours: Tue-Sun, 10:00-17:00 (closed Mondays, last entry at 16:30, except legal holidays).

- Address: No. 30 Yuecheng Road, Yubei District, Chongqing

Wang Qi Art Museum

Located on Chongqing's scenic Zhongshan Fourth Road, the Wang Qi Art Museum is dedicated to the influential Chinese printmaker and art educator Wang Qi. This neatly designed museum engages closely with its urban surroundings, covering 1,989 square meters with 1,285 square meters of exhibition space.

Since its opening in November 2015, the museum has been freely accessible to the public. It went international in 2019, promoting Wang Qi's art globally, especially in Belt and Road Initiative countries. Hosting 87 exhibitions, 28 academic events, and 171 public education activities up to December 2021, it has become a pivotal art venue in Chongqing, drawing nearly 390,000 visitors and energizing the local art scene.

- Opening Hours: Tue-Sun, 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30, closed Mondays, except for legal holidays).

- Address: No. 75 Zhongshan Fourth Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-63537673

Yuan Art Museum

Nicknamed "The Eye of Chongqing" for its distinctive shape, the Yuan Art Museum is a multifaceted space that blends art exhibitions, collections, public education, and cultural exchange. Its design, an elliptical sphere inspired by the beautiful orbital paths of planets in the universe, features interior spaces reminiscent of a "space capsule," making it a visually stunning and modern architectural marvel.

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-21:00 (closed Mondays)

- Address: Middle Section of Dongyuan 1891, Nanbin Road, Nan'an District, Chongqing

Chinese Contemporary Art Museum

Officially opened in 1995, the Chinese Contemporary Art Museum is a private, non-profit cultural institution. It houses a valuable collection of paintings, sculptures, installations, and video works from the history of modern and contemporary Chinese art, with a particular focus on performance, installation, and video art.

- Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00, Tuesday to Sunday (except holidays)

- Address: No. 59 Hubin East Road, Yubei District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-67451993

Chongqing Times Art Museum

Founded in 2019 and located within the Huaxi LIVE in Banan District, the Chongqing Times Art Museum spans approximately 1,400 square meters. As a core carrier of Huaxi LIVE's cultural content and a contemporary art museum in Banan District, its mission is to focus on contemporary art's development, showcasing the characteristics of the art era. With an open mindset, unique artistic vision, discovery, and support, the museum is dedicated to advancing the practice of contemporary Chinese art development by presenting high-quality art that intersects with fashion, design, and technology.

- Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00-20:00 (last entry at 19:30)

- Address: No. 3 Pingjiang East Road, Huaxi LIVE, Banan District, Chongqing

- Phone: 023-88965262

Engage with these spaces and mark them as vital stops in Chongqing if you want to immerse yourself in the essence of modern artistic exploration!

This article is updated on March 27, 2024.