The 1907 Film Museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm. [Photo/1907 Film Museum]

The 1907 Film Museum at No 17 Hubei Road in Shinan district, Qingdao opened to the public free of charge on April 11.

It is the oldest existing theater in China. It got its name 1907 for being the venue where China's first commercial film screening took place on Sept 4, 1907.

The three-story building, designed in typical German neorenaissance style, was built in 1902 as a German naval club known as Seemannshaus. It was made a national cultural heritage site in 2006 and was restored as the country's first film culture complex in 2016.

Black and white photos on the walls of the building's corridors and staircase bring back the historical memories of Qingdao.

To tell visitors about the evolution of film art, piles of films and valuable video cameras of all sorts and eras are on exhibit. 

Surprisingly, the structure serves as more than just a museum. Coffee, wine, and books, as well as German and Italian cuisine, provide plenty of ways to pass the time. Diverse acts are also staged in an ancient Rome-style film musical theater to captivate visitors.