Things to do in Shanghai
Clustered around People's Square are a host of top museums like the Shanghai Museum, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Pudong is the place to scale huge modern buildings like the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Jin Mao Tower. The Yu Yuan Garden in the Old City offers a glimpse of Ming Dynasty China.
Shanghai Museum
Jade and calligraphy collections
The Shanghai Museum on People's Square is one of the city's must-sees. More
than 120,000 exhibits show Chinese history from the Neolithic Age to the
present. The collections of jade, calligraphy, sculptures and coins are
among the best in China.
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Cost
Free; special exhibitions RMB20
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-5pm
Address
201, Renmin Da Dao, People's Square, Shanghai 200002
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6372 3500
Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
Birthplace of Communism
This small, red-brick Xintiandi house in Huangpi Nan Lu is the spot where the
Communist Party was formed in July 1921. The centrepiece is a wax diorama of
the First Congress, with Mao centre-stage. Displays set the historical
context.
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Cost
RMB3 (free on Sundays)
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-4pm
Address
76, Xigye Lu, Shanghai 200020
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5383 2171
Transport
Huangpi Nan Lu metro
Museum of Contemporary Art
Exciting art shows
Shanghai's coolest museum is an airy all-glass space in the middle of
People's Park. The temporary shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
are always fresh, exciting and accessible, and worth a visit for panoramic
views across the city.
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Cost
RMB20
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm (Wed until 10pm)
Address
Gate 7, People's Park, Shanghai 200003
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6327 9900
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Futuristic fun
The enormous futuristic space of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
in Pudong contains 12 exhibition areas, all with interactive displays
including laser musical instruments. As well as an IMAX 3D cinema, there's a
'4D' cinema, where seats move and wind blows through the auditorium.
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Cost
RMB60 (IMAX costs extra)
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 9am-5.15pm
Address
2000, Century Avenue, Shanghai 200120
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6862 2000
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre
Shanghai in 2020
Even weary expatriates get excited by the giant scale model of how Shanghai
will look in 2020, the biggest of its kind in the world. The Shanghai Urban
Planning Exhibition Centre on People's Square showcases Shanghai's
development through models and multimedia displays.
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Cost
RMB30
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-5pm (until 6pm Fri-Sun)
Address
100, Renmin Dadao, People's Square, Shanghai 200002
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 63722077
ShanghART
Cutting-edge modern art
The ShanghART warehouse and gallery are situated in Shanghai's cutting-edge
artistic hub in Jingan, which houses over 100 galleries. The ShanghART
gallery is the oldest modern art space in Shanghai, while the warehouse
hosts bigger works and installations.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
50, Moganshan Lu, Shanghai 200060
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6359 3923
Oriental Pearl Tower
Iconic TV tower
The 468-metre Oriental Pearl Tower with its view towards Pudong is Shanghai's
defining image. The space-age building shimmers inside and out with
technicolour lighting. Inside, there's a sightseeing floor, revolving
restaurant, disco hall and karaoke bars.
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Cost
RMB35-RMB280
Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-9.30pm
Address
Feng He Lu, Shanghai 200120
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5879 1888
Transport
Lujiazui metro
Yu Yuan Garden
Gardens of old China
Yu Yuan Garden in the Old City features 30 Ming and Qing dynasty pavilions
surrounded by lotus ponds and ornate bridges. The traditional bazaar sells
kitsch souvenirs and the dumplings at Nan Xiang restaurant have attracted
numerous visiting celebrities.
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Cost
RMB30; RMB40 Apr-Jun & Sep-Nov
Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-5.30pm
Address
Around Fuyou Lu, Dongtai Lu and Henan Lu, Shanghai 200011
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6326 0830
Transport
Taxi
Jin Mao Tower
88th-floor views
Pudong's Jin Mao Tower in Lujiazui may have lost its place as Shanghai's
tallest building to the Shanghai World Financial Center but the view from
the 88th floor remains the best. Enjoy cocktails at the 87th-floor Cloud 9
bar.
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Cost
RMB88
Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-10pm
Address
88, Century Boulevard, Shanghai 200120
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5047 5101
Transport
Taxi
Sun Yat-sen's Residence
Sun Yat-sen's villa
The Chinese Nationalist Party founder, Sun Yat-sen, lived in this villa in
Shanxi Nan Lu with his wife between 1919 and 1925. The house is as it was
when he died, with 2,700 fascinating volumes and photos of key figures.
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Cost
RMB8
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-4.30pm
Address
7, Xiangshan Lu, Shanghai 200020
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6437 2954
Transport
Shanxi Nan Lu metro
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
World's longest aquarium tunnel
Asia's largest aquarium in Pudong is home to sharks, penguins and 10,000
other sea creatures. There are nine sea life zones from around the world,
including Antarctica and Africa. It has the world's longest underwater
viewing tunnel at 55 metres.
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Cost
RMB120; children RMB80
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-6pm
Address
1388, Lujiazui Ring Road, Shanghai 200120
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5877 9988
Dragonfly Spa
Spa for the senses
Dragonfly Spa is among Shanghai's best-known. Spas around Shanghai offer
Japanese shiatsu and aromatic oil massages as well as facials, manicures and
waxing. Couples at this branch in the French Concession quarter can try 'The
Love Nest'.
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Cost
RMB225 (1 hour aroma oil massage)
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-2am
Address
206, Xinle Lu, Shanghai 200030
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5403 9982
Huangpu River Cruise
Shanghai from the water
Many companies run cruises from the Bund area and it's a great way to see
Shanghai. The Shanghai Huangpu River Cruise Company runs hour-long cruises
throughout the day, and a three-hour afternoon cruise. There's commentary,
drinks and snacks on board.
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Cost
RMB35-RMB70
Opening Hours
Daily 9.30am-4.30pm
Address
219/153, Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, Shanghai 200002
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 54106831
Bund Sightseeing Tunnel
Psychedelic train ride
If you like your tourist experiences kitsch, you'll love this bizarre train
transporting tourists under the river from the Bund area to Pudong.
Psychedelic lights blink, strange models appear and there's a meaningless
but hypnotic commentary.
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Cost
RMB30 single; RMB40 return
Opening Hours
Daily 8am-10pm
Address
18, Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (Bund side), or Riverside Avenue (Pudong side), Shanghai 200002/200120
Transport
Taxi (Bund side) or metro to Lujiazui (Pudong side)
Shanghai Sculpture Space
Undiscovered park sculptures
Few people know about this relaxing and surreal haven in the western tip of
the French Concession quarter. The green parkland is dotted with giant
contemporary sculptures such as Transformers robots, giant legs and a
mechanical bull.
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Cost
Free
Address
570, Huaihai Xi Lu, Shanghai 200030
Transport
Hongqiao Lu metro
