Half of the Museum of Art Pudong’s charm lies within its walls, while the other half resides beyond its windows.

Though Picasso’s abstract works are intriguingly surreal and Haussmann’s traditional essence is worth savoring, what truly stays the traveler’s feet—and ‘anchors’ every gaze—is the shared vigil at dusk: witnessing a performance of art titled ‘The Sunset.’ The abstract lines deconstructing reality and the classical patterns steeped in history seem but a prelude to this grand outdoor spectacle.

Leaning against the railings, the crowd no longer pries into the depths of high art. Instead, with bated breath and eager anticipation, they watch the dying sun burn out, witnessing the Bund on the opposite bank gradually trace its golden silhouette in the twilight—a magnificent transition from nature’s warm orange to the city’s neon glow. In that moment, the boundary between art and reality dissolves. This ritualistic ‘anticipation’ evokes a resonance far deeper than any masterpiece. In the shifting play of light and shadow, the sunset of Pudong remains the museum’s most precious ‘permanent collection.’