Bridges to China

Image of Bridges to China project partners and participants at the Ulster Museum ©Avila Media

‘Bridges to China’ is a community research project connecting China and Northern Ireland through heritage and storytelling. Delivered in 2025-2026 by Queen’s University Belfast, Chinese Welfare Association, National Museums NI, and Avila Media, it is funded by AHRC Impact Acceleration Fund.

Over the course of talks, tours and a series of workshops project participants selected objects from the collection at National Museums NI and added their own personal items to research, reflect on and share stories.

 

Workshops and events

Tour group at the Ulster Museum
Tour of Chinese objects at the Ulster Museum provided by Agrippa Njanina, Assistant Curator of Inclusive Global Histories ©Avila Media
Workshop at Ulster Museum
Bridges to China participants at workshop in the Ulster Museum ©Avila Media
Workshop at Ulster Museum
Bridges to China participants at workshop in the Ulster Museum ©Yang Ni
Tour group at the Ulster Museum
Tour of Chinese objects at the Ulster Museum provided by Agrippa Njanina, Assistant Curator of Inclusive Global Histories ©Avila Media

The Bridges to China project has resulted in a co-curated digital resource that documents new interpretations of the collections through storytelling, photography, audio and visual media. The resource offers richer and more inclusive understandings of Chinese heritage and of the longstanding connections between China and Northern Ireland. 

Bridge to China participants

Pictured here are project participants Liang Wang, Selina Lee and Wei Deng with their personal objects ©Avila Media

Visit the online exhibition ‘Bridges to China’ through the Chinese Welfare Association website

Objects from National Museums NI collection including the Figure of Guanyin, Shoes for bound feet and Carved ivory chess piece

Objects from National Museums NI collection including the Figure of Guanyin, Shoes for bound feet and Carved ivory chess piece ©National Museums NI.

Explore the Bridges to China collection at National Museums NI

Thanks to the community research project ‘Bridges to China’ the Chinese community living in Northern Ireland supported through the Chinese Welfare Association have generously shared their expertise and knowledge of the collections. Insight into this selected collection was also provided by Queen’s University Belfast staff Dr Emma Reisz, Dr Aglaia De Angeli, and Dr Liang Wang.

Bridges to China | Explore Our Collections

Bridges to China is part of our Inclusive Global Histories programme at National Museums NI. To learn more about this project visit Inclusive Global Histories | National Museums NI