Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum to complete expansion this year

Chen Jian (R), curator of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, introduces an exhibit to workers takingpart in the museum's expansion work in Shanghai, east China, Aug. 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

SHANGHAI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- A museum dedicated to Jewish refugees in Shanghai is expected to complete its expansion work and open to the public by the end of the year.

Photo taken on Aug. 11, 2020 shows a view of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

The total area of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum will be expanded from 900 square meters to 4,000 square meters, said Chen Jian, curator of the museum, adding that total exhibits are expected to increase from 150 to more than 1,000.

People work at the construction site of the expansion project of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum in Shanghai, east China, Aug. 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

After the expansion, it will be able to display more historical materials to better present the history of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during World War II.

During the period, tens of thousands of Jewish refugees moved to Shanghai to escape Nazi atrocities. They mostly settled in an area along the northern part of the Suzhou River.

Cao Liping, general manager of a laundry, shows a wedding dress after cleaning and maintenance, which was donated by a Jewish refugee to Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, in Shanghai, east China, Aug. 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

Cao Liping, general manager of a laundry, shows a wedding dress after cleaning and maintenance, which was donated by a Jewish refugee to Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, in Shanghai, east China, Aug. 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

On Tuesday, a wedding dress used by Betty Grebenschikoff, a Jewish refugee who now lives in the United States, during her wartime sojourn in Shanghai, returned to the museum after cleaning and maintenance. She donated the attire to the museum in 2013. When the museum reopens, the dress will be among the items on display.

The museum, based on the former site of Ohel Moshe Synagogue, was first opened to the public in 2007 and started its expansion project in 2018.