SHANGHAI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is expected to start its expansion project this year after recently receiving government approval for its plan.

The expansion will help display more historical materials and better introduce the history of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII, said Chen Jian, Curator of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, Saturday.

The expansion is scheduled to be finished in 2020, said Chen.

The museum will continue to collect more historical items related to the part of wartime history. It has completed collation of the refugee list, data bank, oral accounts, video and audio materials.

Currently, it has over 600 pieces of historical materials, including wedding dresses and toys used by Jewish refugees during their wartime sojourn in the city, Chen said.

The museum, based on the former site of Ohel Moshe Synagogue, was first opened to the public in 2007.

Shanghai also plans to apply for the Tilanqiao neighborhood that sheltered Jewish refugees during WWII to be inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Shanghai accommodated about 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing from Nazi persecution. Many of them lived in the Tilanqiao area of Hongkou District.