New gun and Bond style gadget exhibition in Shanghai, China, would make Q jealous

21-Feb-2004 • Event

A new gun exhibition in Shanghai showcases some of 007`s deadlier weapons.

Dr Sun Yat-sen`s 24-karat gilded pistol and Mafia chief Pockmarked Huang`s collapsible, six-bullet shotgun are among the highlights of the world`s largest gun collection at the newly renovated Shanghai Museum of Public Security.

"The name is Bond, James Bond." With these immortal words, he elegantly draws a pen from his pocket and points it directly at the man in front of him - who then grimaces and collapses. It`s a favorite 007 scene of his from all the Bond movies. The other perennial Bond favorite, of course, are his gadgets, like the pen firearms. Local Bond fans can get their fix at the Shanghai Museum of Public Security, which officially reopened yesterday after a renovation.

"If someone asks me what my favorite exhibit is here, I would say, without hesitation, the guns," exclaims Ou Jian, director of the Publicity Department at the 8,000-square-meter museum. And why not? The museum, which features nine exhibition halls, has the largest gun collection in the world. Its 238 different kinds of guns, which are mainly folk donations or were captured throughout the times, include pistols, rifles, machine guns, scatter guns and special guns from 17 countries, including the United States, England, Germany, France, Russia and Japan. "We have received more than a million visitors since the museum opened in 1999," says Bao Yunfei, who is also with the department.

"We have other special guns, which are just like the gadgets in the 007 movie series," Bao says. Bond`s pen pistols, in the form of famous name pens, are here as well. They make the perfect camouflage, raising not even the least suspicion. Another special gun, made in England, resembles a cigarette case, and can hold seven bullets. When the killer intends to kill, he pulls out the case, inviting his target to smoke, and of course the victim gets blown away, instead. "We have many, many other guns," Ou says. "Even the foreign police delegations who come to visit marvel at our exhibits." As the saying goes, "seeing is believing," so come and visit the museum. In a short time you will become a gun expert.

Opening hours: 9am-4pm, Monday-Saturday
Address: 518 Ruijin Rd S, Shanghai, China
Tel: 6472-0256
Admission: 18 yuan for adults, 5 yuan for children (20-percent discount for group visit)