Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan): Hours, Address, Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) Reviews: 4.5/5
Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan)
Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan)
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This elegant museum, opened in 1996, features eleven state-of-the-art galleries housing China’s international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jade and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: People’s Square
People’s Square brings with it all the excitement you would expect from the town square of one of the biggest cities in the world. The area around People’s Square and People’s Park is always a abuzz with activity. Oceans of local and foreign tourists flow in and out of the area every day to see grand museums, go shopping and eat at some of Shanghai’s most storied food centers. Shanghai residents, meanwhile, live and work in the many residential and office high-rises. While much of Shanghai stays busy late into the night, this really is an area that never sleeps with glitzy nightclubs keeping people up until the wee hours of the morning.
How to get there
- Dashijie • 5 min walk
- People's Square • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
5,214 within 3 miles

The Fellas
474
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Bar • Mediterranean

Windows on the Park
356
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • European • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Barbarossa Restaurant & Lounge
422
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly

Epicure on 45
780
0.5 mi$$$$ • International • European • Vegetarian Friendly

Sky Dome Bar
323
0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • International • Pub

Vegetarian Lifestyle(Huaihai)
134
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Chinese • Asian • Shanghai

JW's California Grill (JW Marriott Shanghai Tomorrow Square)
131
0.4 mi$$$$ • Steakhouse • Grill

Xin Rong Ji (Shanghai Plaza)
24
0.2 mi$$$$ • Chinese • Zhejiang • Cantonese

Wagas (Huaihai Road)
275
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Yang's Fried Dumplings (HuangHe Road)
736
0.5 mi$ • Quick Bites • Chinese • Fast Food
Attractions
689 within 6 miles

Di Mei Shopping Centre
6
0.1 miFlea & Street Markets

Grand Theatre (Da Ju Yuan)
14
0.1 miTheaters

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
1,397
0.2 miSpeciality Museums

Hong Kong famous restaurant Street
10
0.1 miShopping Malls

Yanzhong Greenland
16
0.2 miMarinas • Bodies of Water

Shanghai Jewish Ghetto
20
0.2 miHistoric Sites

Shanghai Concert Hall
28
0.2 miTheaters

Great World (Da Shi Jie)
29
0.2 miAmusement & Theme Parks
Tianshan Park
1
0.2 miParks • Gardens

Shanghai Grand Theater
59
0.2 miTheaters
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
4,847 reviews
Excellent
2,640
Very good
1,621
Average
482
Poor
77
Terrible
27
Sjakie S
Hoorn, The Netherlands652 contributions
Couples
The museum has free entrance, and if you know what's inside! But you have to wait in the queue for 1 hour. The audio guide is well worth the price. I think you can spend a whole day here.
Written May 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Indiajudd
Shanghai, China41 contributions
its difficult to gain access with queues, checks, passport control etc and once inside 50% of galleries, shop are closed. You need to reserve a timeslot in advance - then entrance is free. Had i known all this, i would not have bothered. Anyway the open exhibitions are good with a modest amount of English explanation. Expect to be eyed up by officious guards throughout
Written September 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kyle Ciulla
Beijing, China288 contributions
Really great exhibits and antiquities. I really enjoyed the currency floor, and jade section. the calligraphy section was under renovation, but im sure it would have been amazing! lots of different sections of the museum, so you are not looking at the same things the whole time. Also it has English on the walls, so you can actually learn what you are looking at. Make sure to book tickets in advance!
Written May 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jenn S
Los Altos, CA55 contributions
Family
This is a museum focused on ancient Chinese history and art. It's fantastic. It is also free (which is great) but means it also gets very crowded fast. Tickets have to be reserved on wechat by time, entrance is on the north side, plenty of tickets Saturday morning but inside it already felt very crowded to me. We had young children who only wanted to see the jade and bronze weapons, and the shipwreck exhibit but next time will be back to see more!
Written November 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Daniel C
Middlesbrough, UK163 contributions
Even though Shanghai is a young city by Chinese standards, this museum is still filled with history. You'll find traditional items such as carriages that were used to carry brides to their weddings, you'll see China's involvement in WW2 and how the city went from a seaside town to the largest city in the country. You can also go to the roof and enjoy the sunshine while getting a nice view of the surrounding area. A fun historical fact is that in 1975 the city opened its first 24 hour convenience store, and now it has huge shopping malls filling the streets.You can learn a lot about the cities young history and see some great artefacts, a great way to spend a few hours when visiting the city.
Written October 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kaja Ż
Beijing, China19 contributions
Couples
we arrived in Shanghai on Friday and tickets were already sold out until Sunday. The tickets have to be purchased online.
Written August 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LoveTravelling1116
Singapore, Singapore660 contributions
One can never visit Shanghai without visiting the iconic Shanghai Museum. If one were to do so, it’s like a man missing the opportunity to get culturally educated and inspired. After all, Shanghai Museum is entirely free, and it is one of the best curated museums in Shanghai.
As it was their local school holiday on the date of our visit, the entrance was extremely crowded with long queues of visitors (probably up to at least 100 plus?) in the late morning at 11am. It could be the tight security screening at the entrance that hindered the queue from shortening quickly. We spent at least half an hour to queue in order to enter the museum.
Inside the museum, there were different levels catering to different types of artifacts and history to be shared. On my date of visit, there were permanent exhibitions of porcelain vase, ancient seals and jades of different sizes and shapes, scrolls, classical Chinese furniture, figurine etc. One can never spend enough time photographing the entire museum with a hectic travel schedule ahead, but only to capture the best and most enticing piece.
I’m extremely delighted to find pockets of souvenir stalls selling cute and pretty souvenirs at every corner and level of the museums. They even have the main stall at the ground floor, with a huge variety of souvenirs to satisfy the appetite of patrons. I personally bought some boxes of magnets with beautiful design as memoir.
As the restaurants were too bloated with constant streams of customers and no space for seating, we did not dine at the restaurants. Moreover, we doubted there would be vegetarian dishes. Hence, we skipped that totally, and left the museum extremely hungry after standing for considerably long hours.
All in all, the cultural exposure which I had gained while admiring aesthetically appealing artefacts with interesting history was a rewarding payoff for the time spent queuing. The range of artefacts are generally impressive, showcasing its unique genre of collection of specific interests with an exclusive Chinese culture, and one of its own kind in China history.
As it was their local school holiday on the date of our visit, the entrance was extremely crowded with long queues of visitors (probably up to at least 100 plus?) in the late morning at 11am. It could be the tight security screening at the entrance that hindered the queue from shortening quickly. We spent at least half an hour to queue in order to enter the museum.
Inside the museum, there were different levels catering to different types of artifacts and history to be shared. On my date of visit, there were permanent exhibitions of porcelain vase, ancient seals and jades of different sizes and shapes, scrolls, classical Chinese furniture, figurine etc. One can never spend enough time photographing the entire museum with a hectic travel schedule ahead, but only to capture the best and most enticing piece.
I’m extremely delighted to find pockets of souvenir stalls selling cute and pretty souvenirs at every corner and level of the museums. They even have the main stall at the ground floor, with a huge variety of souvenirs to satisfy the appetite of patrons. I personally bought some boxes of magnets with beautiful design as memoir.
As the restaurants were too bloated with constant streams of customers and no space for seating, we did not dine at the restaurants. Moreover, we doubted there would be vegetarian dishes. Hence, we skipped that totally, and left the museum extremely hungry after standing for considerably long hours.
All in all, the cultural exposure which I had gained while admiring aesthetically appealing artefacts with interesting history was a rewarding payoff for the time spent queuing. The range of artefacts are generally impressive, showcasing its unique genre of collection of specific interests with an exclusive Chinese culture, and one of its own kind in China history.
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eat love travel & repeat
Dubai, United Arab Emirates19 contributions
Family
This place is Totally worth it, entrance is located on Yaanan RD .... oh btw in SH always wear comfy sneakers !!
Written June 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dean Swanepoel
39 contributions
A step back in History, what an amazing experience to be able to enjoy a culture with a fascinating legacy of ceramics and art
Written May 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Anabeesbee
Shanghai, China28 contributions
Not bad to give a general overview, however there are better curated exhibits that can provide a history of the city. If you want to kill time, you can walk through this briefly for an hour.
Written May 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
lifesucketh
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia762 contributions
Hi.
Understand free 8,000 tickets are disctributed daily; is this available to foreigners too ?
If so, is it relatively easy to get them and do we simply head to the main entrance/ticket office for the free tickets ?
Also, does anyone knwow if the museum provides free guided tours (Chinese or English) ?
What is the schedule ?
Thanks.
Dugan C
London, UK149 contributions
Entrance is free
Madeline V
3 contributions
Is there lockers available or a luggage check?
cherylchin
Miami, FL71 contributions
I emailed my Chinese tour guide Jonathan G. from Viking River and he said you can't bring the large suitcase in but they will hold it for you. Go to the back entrance facing the highway NOT the people's square entrance and look for the wheelchair rental service area. They can usually do the luggage hold or tell you who to ask.
Madeline V
3 contributions
Is there lockers available or a luggage check?
cwarunchalee
Bangkok, Thailand87 contributions
Yes, the locker is available and free of charge
dramatic_entrance
San Francisco, CA8 contributions
What kinds of gifts are available at the gift shop? Seeing mixed reviews on whether items are reasonably priced or a bit more expensive... thoughts?
danrmj
Ramsey, NJ155 contributions
The items I saw are expensive but very nice...no cheap trinkets here.
tabisuki77
Japan18 contributions
音声ガイドは、同時に複数で聞くことができますか?
Can I hear more than one voice guide at the same time?
thomas f
Shanghai, China120 contributions
hi, can we find a french guide to visit museum ?
bricedaunis
Niort, France289 contributions
il y'a des écouteurs en français a la reception
babsitter28
Swift Current, Saskatchewan20 contributions
Are there any terra-cotta warriors there as I may not be able to make it to Xi’an?
Gordon L
Blenheim, New Zealand26 contributions
No - no Terracotta Warriors - plenty of examples of textiles throughout the years and etc
DJWBrentwoodBay
Palm Springs, CA18 contributions
Am I better off walking around with cash or should I just use my credit card in Shanghai?
Joelyn O
Milwaukee, WI297 contributions
I agree with the above comments. We charged whatever we could ( using a credit card with no foreign exchange fee) and we carried enough cash to purchase small items, food tips, etc. So, having both is good. We also used our debit card at the ATMs when we needed a little more cash for the day's activities. Have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions about Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan)
- Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) is open:
- Tue - Sun 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- We recommend booking Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 199 Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan):
- Shanghai Half Day Morning or Afternoon Sightseeing Tour (From $56.54)
- Best of Shanghai Day Tour, including Jade Buddha Temple & Bund & Yuyuan Garden (From $79.00)
- Private Customized Tour: Shanghai in One Day (From $75.00)
- Shanghai Shore Excursion: Private Full-Day City Sightseeing Tour Including Jade Buddha Temple (From $195.00)
- Shanghai Shore Excursion: Half-Day Private City Sightseeing Tour Including Jade Buddha Temple (From $99.00)
- Hotels near Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan):
- (0.26 mi) Laoshan Hostel (The Phoenix)
- (0.37 mi) JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square
- (0.48 mi) The Langham Shanghai Xintiandi
- (0.26 mi) Jinjiang MetroPolo Hotel Classiq Shanghai Peoples' Square
- (0.18 mi) JW Marriott Shanghai Fengxian
- Restaurants near Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan):
- (0.03 mi) ShangHai BoWuGuan Restaurant
- (0.11 mi) The Fellas
- (0.09 mi) Honey-moon Dessert (Di Mei)
- (0.10 mi) Ri Sheng Restaurant
- (0.12 mi) KuaiLe NingMeng Di Mei
- Attractions near Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan):
- (0.11 mi) Di Mei Shopping Centre
- (0.07 mi) Cybermart Shanghai
- (0.12 mi) Grand Theatre (Da Ju Yuan)
- (0.20 mi) Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
- (0.12 mi) Hong Kong famous restaurant Street