Get free or half-price entry at over 100 museums this Friday

Photograph: @stanley_chu via Instagram

Do you like to browse, peruse and quietly appreciate? Then a wander around one of Shanghai's many museums is a must. This Friday (May 18) is International Museum Day and to celebrate, more than 100 museums across the city are offering free or discounted entry. To help you cut through the clutter, here are ten we think are worth checking out – just be ready to battle the crowds...

Museum of Glass

This beautiful museum features contemporary glass works and has its own on-site glass factory. As well as working your way through its newest exhibition, The Room by Meng Du, for an extra cost you can check out the glass maze and try your hand at glass making.

Museum Day entry Free (May 18).

Standard entry 60RMB (adults); 30RMB (children).

Shanghai Museum of Glass Building 8, 685 Changjiang Xi Lu, near Gangsi Lu. Open 9.30am-5pm Tue-Sun. 

Film Museum

There's no doubt about it, China's film industry growing fast. Learn more about it and the key players shaping the movie business at this museum. Spanning four floors, there are several interactive areas to delve into and even a 4D cinema. 

Museum Day entry Half price (May 18-20).

Standard entry 60RMB (adults); 30RMB (students); free (children below 1.3m).

Shanghai Film Museum 595 Caoxi Bei Lu, near Nandan Dong Lu. Open 9am-5pm Tue-Sun.

Natural History

The Shanghai Natural History Museum boasts six levels and covers 44,517sqm of space. The exhibitions are comprehensive, showcasing more than 10,000 artefacts from all over the world. Leave yourself at least half a day to explore it fully. 

Museum Day entry Half price (May 18).

Standard entry 30RMB (adults); 25RMB (students); free (children below 1.3m).

Shanghai Natural History Museum 399 Shanhaiguan Lu, near Datian Lu. Open 9am-5.15pm Tue-Sun.

Auto Museum

Shanghai Auto Museum's got a vast variety of cars on display and a wealth of information to absorb. There's so much to see that true auto-enthusiasts might need to make a second or third visit to make sure there's nothing missed. 

Museum Day entry Free (May 18); half-price (May 19-20).

Standard entry 60RMB.

Shanghai Auto Museum 7565 Boyuan Lu, near Moyu Nan Lu. Open 9.30am-4.30pm Tue-Sun.

Jewish Refugee Museum

Photograph: @liu.ooo via Instagram

This museum in the former Jewish Quarter in Hongkou district tells the story of the ghetto formed by Jews fleeing Nazi persecution during in the 1930s and 1940s. 

Museum Day entry Free (May 18).

Standard entry 50RMB.

Jewish Refugee Museum 62 Changyang Lu, near Zhoushan Lu. Open 9am-5pm daily.

Science & Tech

This museum covers almost every aspect of science you can think of. There are exhibitions on physics, geography, information technology, biology and robotics. English guides are available on certain days, but best call ahead to check which.  

Museum Day entry Half price (May 18).

Standard entry 60RMB (adults); 30RMB (students); 50RMB (seniors).

Shanghai Science and Technology Museum 2000 Century Avenue, near Jinxiu Lu. Open 9am-5.15pm daily. 

Metro Museum

Get up to speed with Shanghai’s largest public transport network that now spans across almost 20 lines. This museum showcases the development of the system, from the paving of the rails to the planning of new lines through many models and interactive areas. It's mostly in Chinese, but there are some explanations in English. 

Museum Day entry Free (May 18).

Standard entry 30RMB.

Shanghai Metro Museum 1779 Wuzhong Lu, near Ziteng Lu. Open 9.30am-4.30pm daily. Tue (for individuals); Wed-Fri (for groups). Booking required.

Insect Museum

Inspect some insects. You can find out about the earliest insects, their evolution, life cycles, digestive systems and relationship with humans. There are loads of specimens on display, and even live ones in the mix. The descriptions are in Mandarin, but there are free audio guides in English.

Museum Day entry Free (May 18-20).

Standard entry 15RMB (adults); 7RMB (children below 1.3m).

Shanghai Entomological Museum 300 Fenglin Lu, near Xietu Lu. Open 9am-4.30pm daily.

Guanfu Museum

Photograph: @suhuanxin via Instagram

Located on the 37th floor of the Shanghai Tower, the Guanfu Museum focuses on the relationship we have with history. There are four main exhibitions – the porcelain exhibition, East-West exhibition, gold exhibition and a sculpture exhibition. There will be free guides at 2pm and several events throughout Musuem Day.

Museum Day entry Half price (May 18).

Standard entry 100RMB (adults); 50RMB (students).

Guanfu Museum Floor 37, Shanghai Tower, 501 Yingcheng Zhong Lu, near Huayuan Shiqiao Lu. Open 10am-5pm Mon; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun.

Maritime Museum

Dedicated to water transport systems, China Maritime Museum covers the history of China’s maritime industry and exploration and its position in the world now. Their new exhibition, China and the World, is about shipwrecks and exports along Silk Road.

Museum Day entry Free (May 18).

Standard entry 50RMB (adults); 30RMB (students); 10RMB (seniors).

Shanghai Maritime Museum 197 Shengang Avenue, near Huanhu Xi Er Lu. Open 9.30am-4.30pm Tue-Sun.

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