The Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art (Suzhou MoCA), located on the right bank of Jinji Lake, SIP, officially opened to the public on Aug 30. Concurrently, a four-month art season, themed “Suzhou at Beautiful MoCAment”, kicked off.

The museum, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), a Danish firm, marks an upgrade in SIP’s high-quality public cultural facilities, and is infusing the Jinji Lake area with a vibrant contemporary artistic vibe.

Neighboring the “Suzhou Eye” Ferris wheel, the museum boasts a modern minimalist architectural form that matches perfectly with the lakeside cityscape. The opening day saw many art enthusiasts and local residents queuing in an orderly manner to enter the venue. All exhibition halls were open, with visitors strolling leisurely through various exhibitions, quietly appreciating diverse artworks, pausing to admire pieces that they loved, and capturing memorable moments through their lenses.

Many visitors came from outside SIP. Mr. Zhu, a photography enthusiast from Kunshan, was the very first visitor to enter the museum on the opening day.

“I’ve been following the news about the museum ever since it started construction. I’ve waited a long time, and today it’s finally open,” he said.

Many locals came with their families. “We can now appreciate Picasso’s masterpieces, cutting-edge tech art and local contemporary works near home. This not only helps cultivate children’s artistic taste, but also provides us with more options for leisure and family bonding,” said Ms. Chen.

The inaugural art season will last till Dec 31. In addition to four major exhibitions, nearly 100 public education activities will take place in succession. Moreover, outside the museum, a Picasso-themed art bus will run on the streets, while the artistic capsule of the “Suzhou Eye” Ferris wheel will give riders a special artistic experience.

It is worth mentioning that the four major exhibitions—“Picasso and the World of His Influence”, “Gen: A Journey Through Art’s Transcendence”, “Codes & Canopies: Art Beyond the Age of Algorithms”, and “BIG: Materialism”—present diverse forms of art spanning world-class classics, contemporary Eastern aesthetics, cutting-edge high-tech art, and deconstructed architectural aesthetics.

An all-in-one ticket, with prices starting from RMB 80, is available for the opening exhibitions.

August 30, 2026