Arrived as part of a tour group. Many signs are in English and Chinese. Reading the main signs on entry to each gallery sets the scene. As you approach some exhibits their lights come on so you can study them in more detail. Beautiful building with circular roof and square walls – yin and yang. I also liked the subtlety of the staircase an one side was mirrored by the escalator on the other side of the atrium.

It has been around ten years since our last visit and we were keen to see the exhibitions. Then, there was a wonderful exhibit showcasing the terracotta warriors. It was an interesting sight to see the building, which is in the shape of an old imperial wine cup traditionally used by the Emperor. Unfortunately, this time, three of the galleries were closed, and the exhibit on Leonardo da Vinci had just ended. Nevertheless, they still had similar galleries showcasing the clothing and jewellery of the minority groups in China, as well as calligraphy and Chinese paintings. We liked the wooden furniture exhibition. All in all, we spent on,y an hour here this time, due to the gallery closures. Entry is free via a QR code, and you need your passport. You can register at the booth outside near the souvenir store, and entry is then further round the corner at the southwest entrance. The nearest Metro exit is number 1, and the museum is closed on Mondays. There is another branch of the museum in Pudong.

We visited the museum on 2024-06-10. Our mistake was to not book a visit in advance through the museum's website, because it was an extended weekend due to Dragon Boat Festival and Shanghai was overcrowded with tourists. The plate at the entrance mentioned "a fully booked day". However, after waiting for 20 minutes at the ticket office and explaining to the staff that we were visiting Shanghai for 1 day only, our group of 5 persons received a pass. Entrance is free and this is amazing taking into account the museum interior and exhibitions, which undoubtedly require good funding. So we spent about two hours here and for me this wasn't enough, though a couple of exhibitions was closed. Personally, I found the section dedicated to Chinese painting art and calligraphy most amazing because my previous knowledge of it had been almost zero. There are items which are almost 1000 years old and this was very impressive. I hope to come back here with my family some day.

Almost all of the museum's collections have moved to the new branch of Shanghai Museum East in Pudong District. The new building is modern and simply huge (in the exhibition area as two New Treyakovs), all the exhibitions are perfectly decorated. Expect to spend two full days there, or focus only on the galleries you're interested in. I advise you to walk up the outside wine staircase - chic views and the inner garden. In the old branch in People's Square, only costumes and masks of China's small peoples and Ming dynasty furniture remain.

This Egyptian exhibition is the world's largest and Asia's most advanced outbound exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts ever! There are three Ancient Egyptian Pavilions: The Kingdom of the Pharaohs, The Secrets of Saqqara, and The Age of Tutankhamun. Although there are not many artefacts, I personally feel that they are the most valuable ones!

Were in People's Square. Admission to the museum is free, but the exhibition is free (135 yuan, students 1/2, need a student ticket). In 2025 - Egypt from predynastic to ancient. I wonder. On the 3rd floor are the costumes of the nations and furniture, on the 2nd floor Marco Polo and Nestorians, their artifacts.

Top of the Pyrimids Exhibition:- This is a special exhibition of a few hundred selected pieces from the time of the pharaohs, brought from the Cairo Museum on a government to government initiative. You need to book your ticket and timeslot online. Exhibits were very well presented, although the written descriptions of the exhibits in english were too brief. You can rent a audio machine to have a better explanation on the exhibits. Go on a weekday if possible as the weekend crowd can be overwhelming, although the visitors allowed in are controlled by the number of tickets sold. For non China citizens, you require your passport to enter the museum. Your online booking is linked to your passport details. Make sure you fill in your passport details correctly when doing your online booking, became if the information does not tally, you will not be allowed into the museum. Its worth the 2 to 3 hour time to visit this exhibition.