There were eggs a few years ago, and now there are swords and guns. Mind you, these were not any old eggs, but really fine Easter eggs, decked in gold. Like them, the weapons are from Russia, and they can be seen in an exhibition titled The Armory Treasury of the Russian Sovereigns at Shanghai Museum through Oct 10.

The show has been tailor-made for the museum, according to Elena Gargarina, general director of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

"Kremlin Museums never give touring exhibitions," she said in Shanghai before the show opened on July 3. "Each of the items is one of a kind, and it is impossible to estimate their value. We can't afford the risk of frequent travel."