FREE MUSEUM IN SHANGHAI, CHINA

There are so many museums Patricia has listed in her book. Luckily, many have free admission (as well as discounted or free admission days), so I definitely take advantage of it!

The Shanghai Museum (201 Renmin Ave, People's Square, Huangpu, China, 200003) is one of those examples. Located in People’s Square, this free museum houses over 120,000 pieces of ancient Chinese art, such as paintings, lacquer furniture, ceramics, bronze work, jade, and sculptures. In addition to their location on People’s Square, there is also a Shanghai Museum East (No. 1952, Century Avenue in Pudong New Area) that also focuses on ancient Chinese art and has an interactive exhibit, and an upcoming location, their Shanghai Museum North space, located at the former site of the Shanghai Boat and Chip Building Company in Yangpu district, which will be opening in 2030.

The museum itself was a few stories tall and, I felt, was fairly secluded from other attractions in the city. My family and I spent about an hour or so in the museum. We enjoyed looking at the various artifacts, especially taking the time to see all the detailed work of each piece. The museum wasn’t as crowded, so we were afforded more time to examine each artifact we encountered.

Additionally, the museum has an indoor restaurant on the first floor across from the museum entrance. My family and I ate at the museum restaurant, but they do have another option for those more cost-conscious. Beyond the museum restaurant’s dining room is a cafeteria-style space located beyond the restaurant. If you’re looking for faster and more affordable options, the cafeteria would be a better choice as you can simply grab the food you want to eat and go to the adjoining seating area.

I’m not the biggest afficionado when it comes to ancient art museums, so I was less interested in taking a look through the artifacts than my more knowledgeable art fanatics. For me, compared to the more famous international art museums I’ve been to, such as the Louvre and Getty, where I spent several hours exploring, I really only spent an hour or so looking at the exhibits before lunch. If you have spare time in Shanghai, this museum is a quick and inexpensive option to visit.