The Shanghai Museum

---

Shanghai Museum

I was very excited to visit the Shanghai Museum. Located on the People's Square across from the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, the museum is one of the best museums in China. The museum's architecture is a cool blend of ancient and traditional styles. It is shaped like an ancient Ding, a bronze cooking vessel. The museum has four storeys and each has three or four exhibition halls. It has 10 permanent exhibit halls and 3 temporary exhibit halls. The layout and display of the artifacts are in par with any museum in the west. They are beautifully designed and feature English and Chinese descriptions. The Shanghai Museum's collections are some of the best in China.

The museum is free, so unless you have a tour guide lines can be up to six hours long especially on weekends and holidays. If you have a tour guide however, you get to use a special entrance and slip past the lines and immediately get in.

The first floor features a restaurant, book store, museum shop, a temporary exhibition hall, the Ancient Chinese Bronze Hall, and the Ancient Chinese Sculpture Hall. The second floor features a tea room, a temporary exhibit hall and the Ancient Chinese Ceramics Hall. The third floor features the Chinese Painting Hall, the Chinese Calligraphy Hall, and the Chinese Seal Hall. The fourth floor features a temporary exhibition hall, the Chinese Minority Nationalities Hall, the Ancient Chinese Jade Hall, the Chinese Ming and Qing Furniture Hall, and the Chinese Coin Gallery. Each floor centers around the museum's large atrium. Each floor also has bathrooms and can be reached by stairs, escalators, or an elevator. A coatroom and handicapped bathrooms can be found on the first floor.

I really had a lot of fun in the museum and spent about two hours there. It was so nicely laid out and the artifacts on display were truly amazing. I probably could have spent the day there, but I had other sites to visit on that day.


Ticket Price:
Free
Time Needed:
1.5 to 2 hours
Hours of Operation:
Daily 9:00-5:00
Location:
Located in the center of the Huangpu area of Shanghai, the Shanghai Museum is located on the People's Square across from the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

In September 2008 I was sent on an inspection tour with China Odyssey Tours www.Chinaodysseytours.com. I am the Marketing Manager of China Odyssey Tours. No one is told that I work for the company, and since I am a foreigner I can experience a tour the way our customers do. That way I get the real experience without any VIP treatment. I check on the sites, hotels, restaurants, and guides to ensure that they all meet our rigid quality guidelines.

---