of the severest criticisms Shanghai, Ma; to which Shanghai has been subjected from time to time by seeming lack of any cultural life visitors from abroad has been the and amenity jences in this city they have admired its s activity, commer vast shipping, or have expressed life of this Paris of the East, fact that so great a city is 50 real and industrial enter their enjoyment of the gay night But they have also deplored the mentally Jacking in such institu tions as art galleries, libraries and museums, such a visitors to. most big cities are anxious to see.
This criticism is not alt fair or well founded, for there tually several institutions Shanghol "devoted to culture ming, Unfortunately, these are not pubic institciona, sch exist in most big cities in Europe nul America, nor are they. well endowed with funds as ave similar i stitutions abroad, The result. is they often experience considerable difieulty in continuing to. function flong the Jines for which they were founded.
The foremost institution in Shani hai that eaters to the cultural needs of the community, and at the same Hime the oldest of Lis kind in Chin:
the focal branch of the Royal Asialle Society. This is situated on Museum and, where it is now housed.
tine sixestorey. building completed early in 1993, Two of the Moors are devoted to a Natural History" Museum, containing also art, archaeological and. ethnological hibits of rear interest, another oer being devoted toa Library contain" hivg upwards of 11.000 volumes, most= ly reference works on China and the For East, while the main floor con slats of "a fine auditorium, where meetings open to the public are reularly held, at which most interest-Ing Teetures on a wide range of sub= Jects are delivered, The memberx of this Society now umber about" 730, of which some 850" are Toeated in Shanghai. "But the Society's Museum and Library, Ddeing open free to the public, are used bya great many more local residents than those that appear on its membership roll. while its meetings also are regularly attended by many more non-members than members,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.