In the 1980's, the Shaolin Wushu Guild was built, especially for foreigners, beside the temple. Shaolin Kungfu has spread internationally where many schools and instructors teach Shaolin Kungfu. Some popular institutes in the world are:
Shaolin Kungfu is probably known as the best of Chinese wushu, so beware of kungfu phonies. Some people might trick or lure you into their school claiming they learned Shaolin Kungfu or at the Shaolin Temple. They may ask you to take a test you must pass before entering their so-called distinct society. Then after charging you 6-times as much as other people charge, they beef up the prices and tell you to never show your training in public. They may combine American Kenpo and some Japanese Karate and tell you it's Shaolin Kungfu.
The rapid popularity rise of kungfu though owes credit to Bruce Lee showing the world the excitement of time-honoured Chinese Martial Arts. It also owes Jet Li some credit since he appeared on China's Mainland sometime in the early 80's. In 1982, when Jet Li starred in the movie "Shaolin Temple", Shaolin and Jet Li gained world-wide renown, making the temple a tourist spot overnight attracting 1.5 million people a year to learn or just observe Shaolin Kungfu. In fact, Jet Li learned a couple years of Shaolin Kungfu.
Now, many movies have been made by Hong Kong Stars, about Shaolin and some famous characters of Shaolin. Jet Li and Zhao Wen Zhuo are my favourite. Jet Li has acted as Fong Sai Yuk, Hung Hei Kwun, Zhang Junboa (Sanfeng), and the most popular, Wong Fei Hong. Jet Li starred in four Wong Fei Hong movie: Once Upon a Time in China, I, II, III and Last Hero of China. To my knowledge, Zhao Wen Zhuo has done four Wong Fei Hong movies: Once Upon a Time in China IV, V, The Eight Assasins and another one I can't remember. He also played the villain in Fong Sai Yuk Part I and Jet Li taking the leading role as Fong Sai Yuk.