The Ningbo Art Museum occupies a converted 1980s passenger ferry terminal on the Jiangbei riverfront, redesigned by architect Wang Shu into a contemporary gallery that retains the building's structural bones. The museum runs a programme of temporary exhibitions focused on contemporary Chinese art, with a particular emphasis on artists from Zhejiang and the broader Yangtze Delta region. The permanent collection includes works from the major periods of twentieth-century Chinese painting and a small but good holding of Ming and Qing dynasty literati painting.
The museum's riverfront location makes it a natural complement to the Laowaitan historic district across the river, and the views from the upper floors over the Yong River are among the best in the city. The cafe on the ground floor, with river-facing windows, is a pleasant rest stop independent of the galleries. The museum is in Jiangbei district, across the river from the old city, and easily reachable on foot from the main bridge or by a short taxi ride.