Among the memorial's treasures are two sets of photographs by Hyland Lyon, who worked for the Associated Press as a photographer. Lyon documented both the Japanese assault and the defenders' eventual withdrawal.

"These rare battle photographs fill a crucial gap in domestic archives, enabling a full documentation of this precious chapter in wartime history," says Ma.

Since the memorial's 2015 public opening, visitor numbers have surged, particularly after the 2020 release of The Eight Hundred, a film depicting the warehouse battle. Last year, over 1.54 million people visited, with about 30 percent of the visitors coming from outside Shanghai.

"We've had visitors from almost every province in China," Ma notes. "During summer breaks, we see many young people coming in groups, often as part of study tours."