A historical building that once housed China’s first modern chamber of commerce has reopened after seven years of renovation, with an inaugural exhibition of its own history.

The former office of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce is located on the northern bank of Suzhou Creek, an area that was the cradle of commerce and finance in the city about a century ago.

The chamber was founded in February 1912, and once stood among 21 warehouses and 205 companies. It assisted in efforts to draft China’s first business law, and it opened the nation’s first arbitration office, its first commodity exhibition center, its first business library and the first retail mall selling diverse domestic merchandise.