New exhibition reveals gold's many roles across civilizations

An exhibition exploring gold's roles in Eastern and Western civilizations opened at the Museum of Wu in Suzhou on Wednesday and will last through Jan. 6, 2027.

Titled "Gold: The Treasured Metal Linking Eastern and Western Civilizations," the exhibition showcases 195 sets (totaling over 200 pieces) of items from museums and cultural institutions in Italy and China, including the Museo Civico d'Arte Antica in Turin, the Tibet Museum, the Shanxi Museum and the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

The exhibition features gold objects covering a broad time span, from the gold accessories of the Siba Culture that flourished circa 1900 to 1500 B.C. in today's Northwest China to European gold art in the 19th century. The displays are presented not in chronological order, but according to gold's different roles in human society: as treasures, offerings, symbols of power, handicrafts, everyday articles and accessories.

To complement the exhibition, the museum has planned a wide range of public programs throughout its run, including lectures, reading salons, courses, evening events, study tours, live performances and livestreams.

Gold: The Treasured Metal Linking Eastern and Western Civilizations

Exhibition

Time: July 22, 2026 to January 6, 2027

Venue: Museum of Wu 吴文化博物馆

Source: Museum of Wu