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Museums
Home » China » Shanghai - Activities and Attractions » MuseumsShanghai has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to museums. When they were awarded the 2010 World Expo, the city pledged to have 100 museums up and running in time for the event. They are not quite there yet, but the city is still simply loaded with choices. You will likely only have time to visit a couple, so decide where to go based on your interests and your time frame.
The Shanghai Museum is world renowned and considered by many to be China’s greatest. It has eleven distinct galleries, arranged by theme, rather than by Dynasty (a popular set-up in other Chinese museums). Some of the most popular galleries include the Bronze Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, the Ceramics Gallery, and the Painting Gallery. There are also galleries for jade, coins, calligraphy, seals, and furniture.
The Shanghai Art Museum is located in a historic clock tower building on the northwest end of the People’s Square. The collection of artwork is outstanding, but it has to compete with the beautiful five-story Neoclassical structure it is housed in. Also located in a lovely building, which once served as the Cotton Exchange in the colonial days, is the Shanghai National History Museum.
The Shanghai Municipal History Museum is located in the basement of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Pudong. It gives a history of the city through displays and dioramas of the Huangpu River, The Bund, and the foreign concessions. There is an interesting vehicle collection of cars that have been significant in Shanghai through the years.
The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is a recent addition to the city, opening in 2001. It is especially popular with children, as it is full of hands-on exhibits and has two IMAX screens.
Still other Shanghai museum choices include the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, the Museum of Folk Art, the Shanghai Music Conservatory Oriental Musical Instrument Museum, and the Shanghai Public Security Museum. And that isn’t even all of them.
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