Have you ever thought about how Shanghai went from being a small fishing village to becoming a huge megacity in just around 40 years? Visiting museums is a great way to quickly learn about its history, development, and art scene.
Wondering the best things to do in Shanghai? Here are 10 of the best museums in Shanghai, ranging from the well-known big ones to specialized ones.
1. Shanghai Museum 上海博物馆
The Shanghai Museum is renowned as one of the top museums in China. It boasts a remarkable collection of Chinese art, stretching all the way back to the Neolithic period. The museum offers a captivating journey through the evolution of beauty in the Middle Kingdom.
From the early shamanistic influences showcased in the Bronze Gallery to the serene landscape paintings by 14th-century artist Ni Zan, the Shanghai Museum presents over 6,000 years of traditional artwork. Visitors can explore a diverse range of media, including bronzes, ceramics, sculpture, ink painting, calligraphy, and furniture-making, providing a comprehensive understanding of China’s rich artistic heritage.
Address: 201 Renmin Road 人民路201号
2. Shanghai Natural History Museum 上海自然博物馆
The Shanghai Natural History Museum is one of the largest in China. It’s part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and can be found in the Jing’an Sculpture Park in Shanghai. The museum covers a huge area of 45,257 square meters and holds more than 290,000 things from nature and human history from all over the world.
Inside, you’ll find collections divided into five groups: plants, animals, ancient life forms (like dinosaurs), rocks and fossils, and human history. It’s a great place to explore and learn about the amazing variety of life on Earth and our fascinating past.
Address: 510 Beijing West Road, Jing’an District 静安区北京西路510号
3. Shanghai History Museum 上海历史博物馆
The Shanghai History Museum, situated in the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, is a landmark spot showcasing the rich history of Shanghai. It’s among the top 5 museums in Shanghai that you shouldn’t miss. With an area of 10,000 square meters and an exhibition space of 9,800 square meters, the museum is committed to gathering cultural relics from the local area. It houses over 1,000 sets of these relics, offering a comprehensive insight into the city’s past.
Address: 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New District 浦东新区世纪大道1号
4. Shanghai Telecom Museum 上海电信博物馆
The Shanghai Telecom Museum is a fascinating place that takes you back in time to the early days of telecommunications. The museum showcases various aspects of telecommunications history, including telegraph communication, local and long-distance telephone communication, wireless communication, and comprehensive information systems.
Inside the museum, you’ll find a treasure trove of objects from the past, like hand-operated telephones, bulky “big brother” mobile phones that are larger than bricks, and thick lead-covered cables thicker than bowls. These artifacts offer a nostalgic glimpse into the evolution of communication technology.
Address: 34 Yan’an East Road 延安东路34号
5. Shanghai Science and Technology Museum 上海科技馆
The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is one of the coolest places to visit in the city. It’s got one underground floor and four above-ground floors, plus an office area. The whole building looks like a spiral, showing how science and technology keep moving forward.
There’s this big glass ball in a pool of water that shows how life started. And you can join in with some fun activities where you get to design and make stuff. It’s a place where anyone can feel like a designer and have a blast exploring science and tech.
Address: 2000 Century Avenue, Pudong New District 浦东新区世纪大道2000号
6. Rockbund Art Museum 外滩美术馆
The Rockbund Art Museum is situated at the northern tip of the Bund, making it one of Shanghai’s top spots for modern art. It often features innovative pieces by some of China’s most prominent contemporary artists. Even if you’re not into art, it’s worth a visit just to check out the sleek, minimalist Art Deco architecture of the building, which used to be the Royal Asiatic Society building.
Address: 20 Huqiu Road, Huangpu District 黄浦区虎丘路20号
7. Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center 上海宣传画艺术中心
It’s a privately owned museum that showcases the propaganda posters that flooded China during the 1960s and 70s, a time marked by the Cultural Revolution.
With around 5,000 posters on display, the museum offers a fascinating glimpse into this era of history. The posters are arranged chronologically, providing insight into the evolving themes and messages of the time. Some of the posters are not only historically significant but also quite amusing, offering visitors a unique perspective on China’s past.
Address: Basement, Block B, Huashan Road, Xuhui District 徐汇区华山路868号B号楼地下室
8. Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center 上海城市规划展览馆
This museum gives you a glimpse of Shanghai’s remarkable transformation over the past two decades, as well as its urban planning for the future, around the year 2020. You’ll find historic photos and maps of old Shanghai, along with a 3D virtual tour and a huge scale model of what future Shanghai might look like – these are the main attractions of the museum.
Down on the basement floor, there’s a reconstruction of the old Shanghai streets that transports visitors back to the bustling city of the 1930s. Each building’s original counterpart from that era can be found somewhere in Shanghai, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the experience.
Address: 100 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu District 黄浦区人民大道100号
9. Shanghai Museum of Glass 上海玻璃博物馆
The Shanghai Glass Museum is home to seven permanent exhibition areas, each with its own unique theme. Here, you’ll find a stunning collection of glass artwork created by top designers from around the world. From intricately crafted pieces to avant-garde designs, there’s something for everyone to appreciate.
Visitors can marvel at the artistic beauty of various glass products and even witness master artisans demonstrate the glass production process onsite. For those feeling adventurous, there’s an opportunity to create your own DIY glass products.
Address: 685 Changjiang West Road, Baoshan District 宝山区长江西路685号
10. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum 上海犹太难民纪念馆
The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum was established in 2007 and recently underwent an expansion, completed in November 2020. The new hall covers over 4,000 square meters, incorporating the former Moses Hall site and original residential buildings on the west and south sides while preserving their original architectural style.
The museum has amassed about 1,000 historical artifacts to date. Utilizing cutting-edge display technologies like scene restoration and interactive multimedia, the new museum vividly portrays the heartfelt interactions between Jewish refugees and the Chinese people during World War II.
Address: 62 Changyang Road, Hongkou District 虹口区长阳路62号
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