A museum meant to help Chinese learn more about life and culture in African has been built in Shanghai.

The Museum for An Experience of African Lifestyle, which is now in open to the public, is Located on Xianggang Road near the Bund.

An opening ceremony will be held in November, according to Cheng Hui, chairman of the board of Into Africa Cultural Development Co. and also one of the museum's investors. He was unable to provide an exact date.

"African art is quite different to our taste, it takes time for ordinary people to accept it," said Cheng.

Refurbished from an old warehouse, the museum has 400 square meters of floor space and a budget of one million yuan (146,495 U.S. dollars). It houses artwork from more than 20 African nations, including wood and stone carvings, an Egyptian water pipe and tea from South Africa.

"Africa is definitely a potential rising overseas tourist destination for Chinese people as Sino-African ties continue to warm up," Cheng said. "Chinese tourists may come and visit our museum to learn more about Africa and get well prepared before they travel to the African continent."

Mfana July Gininda, political consul of South Africa's consulate in Shanghai, said the museum reminded him of his hometown.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2008)