THE city’s top planning body began soliciting public opinions yesterday on a new art museum to be built in Lujiazui financial center as part of plans to boost cultural venues in Pudong.

Pudong Art Museum will cover 13,000 square meters, with a height of almost 30 meters. It will be built by Huangpu River between the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Shanghai International Convention Center.

Residents in Pudong have long complained about a lack of art and cultural venues, especially in the Lujiazui area. Most major art landmarks are on the other side of the river — based in downtown areas such as the Power Station of Art in Huangpu and the art museums and galleries along the riverside in Xuhui District.

The major art venue in the Pudong New Area currently is the China Art Museum that stands on the former World Expo 2010 site.

“I like to see art exhibitions, shows and operas, but getting to downtown districts from Pudong takes me at least an hour each time,” said He Yu, who lives and works in Pudong. “Having more local shows will be much better.”

The future museum in Lujiazui will house exhibitions and will be involved in education, research, cultural exchanges and public services, as well as tourism, according to the administration.

Local residents can send their suggestions about the museum to the administration by e-mail on shgtjjgc@163.com through to Wednesday.

The museum will be completed by 2020 along with the Pudong branches of Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Library as well as a new opera house.