Deji Art Museum

Deji Art Museum is a non-profit art institution in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, founded by the Deji Group and opened to the public on 26 September 2017. Occupying approximately 9,000 square metres on the eighth floor of Deji Plaza Phase II in Xuanwu District, the museum has distinguished itself through extended operating hours, remaining open until midnight daily since 2024. Its collections bridge ancient Chinese material culture and international modern and contemporary art, while its programming integrates digital technology and immersive exhibition design. In 2024, the museum was selected for the "Top 100 Popular Museums of the Year" list, and its total annual visitor count surpassed 8 million, with 75% coming from outside Nanjing and nighttime visitors accounting for over 30% of attendance.

The Deji Group established Deji Art Museum on 26 September 2017, with Ai Lin serving as director. The museum opened with its inaugural exhibition "Elegance Of The Exhibition Guan Jun's Calligraphy And Paintings." Following its initial launch, the museum hosted "Masterpieces of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, Yudetang Collection" in February 2018. On 29 October 2021, it reopened after renovation. A significant milestone came in 2023 when the museum obtained formal museum qualification approval from the National Cultural Heritage Administration, receiving official recognition as "德基艺术博物馆." In 2024, the museum extended its daily closing time to midnight, marketing itself as the only museum in the world with regular midnight closing. The institution has pursued public education series activities since its founding and operates under a "one city, multiple venues" framework, with a branch in Nanjing's Xianlin district currently under construction.

The museum's holdings span multiple categories rooted in nearly three decades of systematic acquisitions by the Deji Group. Its ancient Chinese art collection encompasses ceramics, calligraphy and painting, Buddhist sculptures, and Ming-style furniture. The modern and contemporary collection includes both Chinese and international works. A particular institutional focus has been the "A World in Bloom" collection, dedicated to researching and acquiring floral-themed masterpieces across modern and contemporary art history. This collection traces flower still-life painting from the 18th century to the present, encompassing over 50 significant art movements and groups. The museum's programming philosophy emphasizes connections across temporal, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries, integrating perspectives from life, art, and technological development.

The museum's signature permanent exhibition, "Nothing Still About Still Lifes: Masterpieces from the World of Flowers Collection," presents approximately 140 floral-themed works by 109 artists. The exhibition includes works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Zao Wou-Ki, Yayoi Kusama, Edouard Manet, Paul Gauguin, Edvard Munch, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Francis Picabia, and Wayne Thiebaud, as well as modern and contemporary Chinese artists. Notably, it features the only flower-themed work from Chen Yifei's entire artistic career. The museum also holds Feng Ning's Imitation of the Song Academy Version of "Prosperous Jinling," which forms the basis of its digital art exhibition. In the digital art realm, the museum has presented works by American artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann), including pieces from his Everydays series, S.2122, and works created specially for the museum. Public art installations include Refik Anadol's Melting Memories, Engram, Box and Quantum Memories Probability, displayed on the outdoor LED screen of Deji Plaza Phase I and in the public art area on the eighth floor of Phase II, plus Yoshitomo Nara's installation "Not Everything But / Green House, Not Everything But / Orange House."

The museum's main venue is located at 18 Zhongshan Road, on the eighth floor of Deji Plaza Phase II in Xinjiekou, described as "China's No.1 Commercial District." The site sits at the intersection of Nanjing's cultural axis and "Museum Avenue," positioning it within a landscape where historical heritage merges with urban commercial prosperity. The 9,000-square-metre space houses galleries, public art areas, and digital exhibition facilities. The museum's integration within a major shopping complex reflects its strategy of embedding art within everyday urban life. A second venue, the Xianlin Pavilion, is currently under construction in Nanjing's Xianlin district, part of the museum's planned multi-site expansion across the city.

Deji Art Museum is located at 8F, Deji Plaza Phase II, No. 18 Zhongshan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing. It operates Tuesday from 12:00 to 24:00, and Monday, Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 24:00, making it the only museum globally with regular midnight closing. Admission to the permanent collection is free, though specific exhibitions may charge fees. The museum's location within a major commercial district provides integrated access to retail and dining. Its visitor demographic is notably cosmopolitan, with three-quarters of annual visitors in 2024 coming from outside Nanjing. The institution continues to develop under director Ai Lin, with the Deji Group as its founding and sustaining organization, operating as a non-profit entity within one of China's most prominent private-sector cultural initiatives.