Building of the Qing'an Guild Hall (Qìng'ān Huì Guǎn, 庆安会馆), funded by nine shipping merchants, began in 1850 and was finished three years later. On the eastern bank of Ningbo's Yong River opposite the Old Bund, it was designed to be a gathering place for shipping merchants featuring an opera stage built to create natural acoustics and a shrine to Mazu (Māzǔ, 妈祖), a goddess who protects fishermen and sailors.

According to a local story, four stone columns used in building the Guild Hall were shipped from Fujian and fixed to the sides of two ships. Storms arose on the sea and sunk other nearby boats, but the two boats carrying the columns were spared. Attributing the survival of the ships to Mazu, a stage was raised near the future Guild Hall and plays were put on for three days to honor the goddess. 

The Qing'an Guild Hall was renovated by the municipal government in 1997 and made into a museum dedicated to cataloging the history of maritime culture in eastern Zhejiang. Model boats, pictures and other exhibits detail Ningbo's maritime past, going back some 7,000 years as attested by oars left by the Hemudu culture. The museum also features statuary, paintings and exhibits telling the story of Mazu and legends about the goddess.

The museum sits beside a small park and is worth exploring to learn more about Ningbo's history.

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