China's first museum of refrigeration opened in Shanghai on Monday.

Located in Shanghai Fisheries University's Jungong Road campus, the free museum has nearly 200 articles on display giving visitors an insight into the history and development of refrigeration in China from the early 1900s till today.

A big old ice box standing in a corner of the 105-square-meter exhibition room is one of highlights. The "Frigidaire Super Freezer," made by General Motors in 1932, is the oldest household refrigerator in the city.

It was one of the world's first refrigerators and used freon and condenser technology which is exactly the same as used today.

University officials said the antique was donated to the university in 2004 by a local resident surnamed Chen when they were preparing for the museum.

"It's so amazing for us to have such an antique and one that still works today," said Tan Xiangdong, director of the university's refrigeration engineering research institute.

Photographs and pictures featuring the old special coins used for purchasing ice in the city are also on display.

Xie Jing, vice dean of the university's food science and technology college, said the university was asking citizens for more refrigeration industry-related books, pictures or items.

(CRI.cn October 31, 2007)