Shanghai Museum: Which Hall to Visit and How Entry Works
The Shanghai Museum now has two buildings with different rules, and you need to know which one you are going to before you set off. For the famous Chinese collections (bronzes, ceramics, painting and calligraphy), go to the East Hall in Pudong. It is free, needs no reservation for individual visitors, opens 10:00 to 18:00 and closes on Tuesdays. The round building on People's Square is given over to a single paid exhibition, "On Top of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas", until 14 November 2027. It is closed on Mondays and a full-price ticket costs 148 yuan. Either one is a good half day indoors, and the obvious plan for a rainy day.
The museum's place in a wider trip is in the Shanghai travel guide.
The two halls side by side
Details from the museum's official visitor pages (shanghaimuseum.net), checked for this update:
| East Hall (Pudong) | People's Square hall | |
|---|---|---|
| What is on | Permanent Chinese collections: bronzes, ceramics, painting, calligraphy and more, plus temporary shows | The Americas exhibition only, to 14 November 2027 |
| Entry | Free; no reservation for individuals; scan your ID at the B1 East Gate | Paid, timed tickets: 148 yuan full, 135 on designated days, 74 concession; under-6s free with an adult |
| Hours | 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:00 | Check the booking page for daily sessions |
| Closed | Tuesdays, except national holidays | Mondays, except national holidays |
| Extra bookings | The Ancient Civilization Exploration Palace and the digital gallery need separate reservations | All visitors need a ticket |
Shanghai media reported that tickets for the Americas exhibition are released a month at a time, with November dates going on sale on 1 October. If the show is your reason to come, check the release date for your month and book early.
The East Hall: for the bronzes
This is the building most first-time visitors should go to. The East Hall, on Century Avenue in Pudong, opened fully in December 2024 after seven years of construction and has more than 113,000 square metres of floor space. It holds the permanent specialist galleries, and the ancient bronzes are the best known of them. The museum's bronze collection is among the strongest anywhere, and the displays lead you from early ritual vessels through to the casting technology behind them in a way that holds up without a guide. Ceramics, painting and calligraphy are in the same building.
How long: two hours for the bronzes and one other gallery, three to four hours to cover most of the permanent floors. The museum regularly closes individual galleries for reinstallation, so check the floor plan by the entrance before you head for a particular room.
Getting there: the East Hall is at 1952 Century Avenue in Pudong. The museum's own directions give three metro options: Shanghai Science and Technology Museum station on Line 2 (Exit 8), Xiangcheng Road on Line 4 (Exit 2) or Pudian Road on Line 6 (Exit 1). Line 2 is the simplest from the Bund side, three stops past Lujiazui. Enter through the B1 East Gate with your passport after the security check.
The People's Square hall: for the Americas show
The round hall, designed to echo the old Chinese idea of a round heaven over a square earth, opened in October 1996 and sits in the middle of the city on People's Square (Lines 1, 2 and 8). It closed on 6 May 2026 to install the current exhibition, which opened on 9 July 2026: a large loan show of Mesoamerican and Andean civilisations scheduled to run until 14 November 2027.
During the show, the hall displays nothing else. The Ming and Qing furniture and the ethnic minority crafts galleries that people remember from earlier visits are not on view there. If you came for those, ask at the East Hall, or plan a visit after late 2027.
A short history
The museum opened in December 1952 in the former racecourse building, later moved to the old Chung Wai Bank, and got its present People's Square building in 1996. General admission to the permanent collections has been free since 2008. By the end of 2021 the collection numbered more than 1.02 million objects, with bronzes, ceramics and painting the deepest holdings.
Fitting it into a Shanghai day
East Hall day: the museum in the morning when it opens at 10:00, lunch in Pudong, then Lujiazui and the Oriental Pearl Tower in the late afternoon, and a ferry or Line 2 back to the Bund for the evening lights.
People's Square day: the Americas exhibition in the morning, a walk along East Nanjing Road to the Bund, then Yu Garden in the old city. The garden closes at 16:30 with last entry at 16:00, so if you want both, do the garden first.
Watch the closing days. The East Hall closes on Tuesdays and the People's Square hall on Mondays, which means at least one of the two is open every day of the week. Yu Garden also closes on Mondays.
Things to confirm before you go
- Which hall has what you want to see: the Chinese collections at the East Hall, the Americas show at People's Square.
- Closing days: Tuesday for the East Hall, Monday for People's Square (national holidays excepted).
- Ticket release dates for the Americas exhibition if you are visiting People's Square.
- Separate bookings for the East Hall's special areas.
- Your passport, which you need at both entrances.
- Groups of 20 or more need to book ahead with the museum.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shanghai Museum free?
The East Hall is free. The People's Square hall charges for the Americas exhibition, which runs until 14 November 2027 (148 yuan full price).
Do I need to book the Shanghai Museum East Hall?
Individual visitors do not need a reservation. Bring your passport and enter through the B1 East Gate. A few special areas inside need separate booking.
Which day is the Shanghai Museum closed?
The East Hall closes on Tuesdays and the People's Square hall on Mondays, except on national holidays.
How long should I spend at the Shanghai Museum?
Two hours for a focused visit to the bronzes, half a day for most of the East Hall's permanent galleries.