China Art Museum, Shanghai (中华艺术宫)
Museum · Pudong New Area · Shanghai. Modern Chinese art inside the red 2010 Expo China Pavilion, mostly free to enter.
Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/china-art-museum · Data checked 2026-10-02 · Rendered for 2026-10-03 (Asia/Shanghai). Facts carry their status; "not found yet" means we searched and found no reliable source.
Notices in effect
- 2026-09-15 to 2026-12-31: Visitor entrance moved to the West Gate, 153 Shangnan Road.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-03: Metro Lines 7 and 8 run later than usual at night.
Why go
The China Art Museum (中华艺术宫, also signed 上海美术馆 Shanghai Art Museum) fills the huge red China Pavilion from the 2010 World Expo. Permanent galleries of 20th-century Chinese painting are free, and the building itself, an upside-down pyramid of red brackets, is one of Pudong's most recognisable shapes.
What to do
- Walk under the 'Crown of the East'. The pavilion was built for Expo 2010 and is nicknamed 东方之冠 (Crown of the East). Levels are named by height: 0 m, 5 m, 33 m, 41 m and 49 m, with galleries on each.
- See the moving Qingming scroll. A 128-metre multimedia version of 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' (清明上河图) from the Expo pavilion is shown as a separate ticketed exhibit for ¥20. Day and night scenes alternate on a short loop.
- Explore the changing exhibitions. Explore the separately ticketed temporary exhibitions alongside the free permanent galleries. Check the current exhibition list and its entry rules before visiting.
- Browse free Chinese painting. Browse the museum's collection of modern Chinese painting in the free permanent galleries. Check the display list for works currently on view.
- Don't miss: Use the new West Gate at 153 Shangnan Road (上南路153号), 100 m from Line 8 Exit 3; the old address 205 Shangnan Road is no longer the visitor entrance.
- Don't miss: The 128-metre multimedia Qingming scroll (清明上河图) has a separate ticket; check its current showing before buying.
- Best time: Weekday mornings; closed Mondays
- Skip if: Skip it if you only want contemporary or Western art; the free galleries focus on 20th-century Chinese painting.
Practical details
- Hours: 10:00–18:00 · closed Mon
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:00
- Usually closed: Mon
- Open on Mondays that are national holidays, including 5 October 2026.
- Admission: Free · special shows extra
- Special exhibition (official standard listing; includes the multimedia Qingming scroll): ¥20 — Listed by the museum as 特展 ¥20.
- Mawangdui: House of a Thousand Gold (to 7 Oct 2026): ¥98 — Full price. Concession tickets exist; children under 1.2 m free, 1.2–1.4 m need a ticket. Sold on Damai, Maoyan, Douyin and Ctrip.
- Free: All visitors to the permanent galleries
- Permanent galleries are free; each paid exhibition has its own ticket.
- Booking: No booking for individuals
- Free admission ticket at the West Gate (上南路153号西门领取免费参观票)
- Passport accepted: unknown — No published rule on passports for special-exhibition tickets.
- Groups of 30+ must book 7 days ahead (021-20252018 / 20252019).
- Last admission: 17:00
- Time to allow: 2–3 hr
- Getting there: Line 8 · China Art Museum · Exit 3 · 100 m
- Metro Line 8 to China Art Museum (中华艺术宫), Exit 3, about 2 min walk
- Metro Line 7 to Yaohua Road (耀华路), Exit 1, about 8 min walk
- Show a taxi driver: 中华艺术宫（上海美术馆）西门，浦东新区上南路153号
- Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
- From Line 8 Exit 3 walk about 100 m south on Shangnan Road; from Line 7 Exit 1 walk about 600 m north.
- Walking minutes are converted from the museum's distances (100 m, 600 m).
- Address: 205 Shangnan Road, Pudong New Area (上南路205号).
- Foreign visitors: Free entry; audio guide needs ID deposit
Not found yet
- booking.passport.accepted: No published rule on passports for special-exhibition tickets bought on Chinese ticket platforms. (searched: official web, local guide web, Trip.com Moments, Reddit via Exa)
Traveler tips
- Enter by the new West Gate. All visitors now enter at the West Gate, 153 Shangnan Road (上南路153号西门), and arrive on the 0 m level. Take Metro Line 8 to China Art Museum station (中华艺术宫), leave by Exit 3 and walk about 100 m south along Shangnan Road. From Line 7 Yaohua Road (耀华路) Exit 1 it is about 600 m north, and older maps that send you to 205 Shangnan Road are out of date. Caveat: The entrance moved to the West Gate on 15 Sep 2026; older maps and guides still show 205 Shangnan Road. source
- Walk in free to the permanent galleries. The permanent exhibitions are free and individual visitors do not need a reservation; collect the free admission ticket at the West Gate and pass security. Only special exhibitions are paid. Groups of 30 or more must book 7 days ahead by phone. If you travel with a passport, carry it in case entrance staff ask for identification. Caveat: A Russian visitor in April 2026 also reported free entry without advance booking. A Korean post published in June 2026, describing a 1 May visit, generally advises foreign visitors to show a passport; it does not clearly describe the author being checked. This does not establish a uniform ID practice. (2 travelers) source
- Last chance for Mawangdui: late nights 5–7 Oct. The Mawangdui exhibition 'House of a Thousand Gold' (千金之家) closes on 7 October 2026. On 5, 6 and 7 October the museum stays open until 21:00, with last entry at 20:30, so an evening visit avoids the daytime holiday crowd. Buy the exhibition ticket through Damai, Maoyan, Douyin or Ctrip. Children under 1.2 m enter free, and children 1.2–1.4 m need a ticket. Caveat: Concession prices were not published in the sources read. source
- Pay ¥20 for the moving scroll. The 128-metre animated 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' (多媒体版清明上河图) from the 2010 Expo pavilion is a separate paid exhibit, listed at ¥20 in a 2025 local guide; the museum lists special exhibitions at ¥20. Day and night versions alternate on a loop of a few minutes, so 15–20 minutes is enough. Ask at the 0 m service desk which level it is on and where to buy. Caveat: Older guides place it on the 49 m level; the location is not confirmed on the current official page. source
- Rent the audio guide with ID. Audio-guide sets for the permanent galleries are rented at the service centres on the 0 m and 49 m levels for ¥20. You leave your ID and a ¥200 deposit, or ¥400 without ID. The museum does not say which languages are on the device, so ask before paying. source
- Free lockers, strollers and wheelchairs. Bag storage is free. Strollers (for babies under 15 kg) and wheelchairs are lent free against an ID and a ¥200 deposit, or ¥400 without ID. Staff and volunteers at the 0 m and 49 m service desks can suggest a route through the levels. source
- Find galleries by height in metres. Floors are named by height, not by number: 0 m (main halls, theatre), 5 m, 33 m, 41 m and 49 m, plus B2. A December 2025 news guide listed exhibitions on 0 m, 5 m, 33–49 m and B2 at the same time. Check the level of the show you want on the floor map at the entrance before you start. source
- Mondays are closed except holidays. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with last entry at 17:00. It also opens on national holidays, including holiday Mondays. source
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal Government
- 上海美术馆（中华艺术宫）
- 上海美术馆（中华艺术宫） (published 2026-09-09)
- 上海美术馆（中华艺术宫）(转载光明日报) (published 2026-09-30)
- 上海美术馆（中华艺术宫）
- 上海美术馆（中华艺术宫） (published 2026-07-03)
- 上海本地宝 (published 2026-06-04)
- 乐游上海 (via Sohu) (published 2026-09-23)
- 上海本地宝 (published 2025-06-23)
- 公共外交网
- 乐游上海 (published 2026-09-14)
- 上观新闻 (published 2025-12-29)
- Elizabeth 17 (Trip.com Moments)
- 上海发布 / Shanghai Municipal Government (published 2026-09-28)
- 上海市公安局 (published 2026-09-30)
- Naver (published 2026-06-11)