The Changchun Art Museum is the main public gallery in Jilin Province, holding a permanent collection of Chinese paintings, calligraphy, and contemporary art with particular emphasis on northeast Chinese artists and the regional painting tradition. The gallery hosts rotating exhibitions from national institutions as well as local shows.
The collection is strongest in traditional ink painting and calligraphy, which reflects the historical emphasis of Chinese art institutions. The contemporary section covers the past three decades of Jilin-based contemporary art practice, which has developed with relative independence from the main Beijing and Shanghai art market centres and has its own regional character. The museum building has been renovated and the facility is comfortable to visit.