World Expo Museum (上海世博会博物馆)
Museum · Huangpu · Shanghai. A free museum of more than 170 years of world expos, including Shanghai 2010.
Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/world-expo-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
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: Open every day 1–7 October 2026, including Monday 5 October.
- 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-05: World Players Party: pop-up market, stage and workshops; collect five stamps for a discounted same-day Guocai exhibition ticket at the visitor service centre ticket office.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: Students can buy a same-day Guocai exhibition ticket on site with their own student card or valid CHSI enrolment record.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-03: Metro Line 13 runs later than usual at night.
Why go
The World Expo Museum (世博会博物馆) tells the story of world expos over more than 170 years, the 2010 Shanghai Expo in detail, and the expos still to come. The permanent galleries are free, and it sits on the former Expo 2010 site near the river, a good rainy-day stop with children.
What to do
- Walk 170 years of expos. The free permanent exhibition covers more than 170 years of world expos, the 2010 Shanghai Expo in detail, and the future expos. Check current hall closures before visiting.
- Explore temporary shows. Check the temporary exhibition halls for themed shows alongside the free permanent collection. Some require a separate ticket, so check the current exhibition and its end date before going.
- Watch a 4D expo film. The 4D cinema on 2F of the visitor service centre shows 'Expo Wonder Journey' (世博奇妙之旅), set at Expo 2010, and an animated film about Yunnan's wandering elephants, ¥30 per ticket.
- Pick up Expo 2010 souvenirs. The museum shop on the ground floor of the visitor service centre still sells licensed Expo 2010 merchandise, Expo books and Shanghai gifts.
- Don't miss: Visit the free permanent halls before deciding whether to buy a ticket for a special exhibition or 4D film.
- Best time: Weekday mornings; closed Mondays
- Skip if: Skip it if you have no interest in the 2010 Expo or exhibition design; the displays are mostly models, documents and media.
Practical details
- Hours: 09:00–17:00 · closed Mon
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:15
- Usually closed: Mon
- Whether a holiday Monday opens is announced separately each time.
- Admission: Free permanent halls · special shows extra
- Guocai: Qing imperial costumes from the Palace Museum (to 7 Oct 2026): ¥88 — Standard exhibition admission.
- Guocai reduced admission: ¥68
- Guocai child admission: ¥9.9
- Guocai two-person admission: ¥138
- Guocai student holiday offer: ¥38 — Buy on site with own student card or valid CHSI (学信网) enrolment record; use that day. Acceptance of overseas student cards is unstated.
- Guocai World Players Party stamp offer: ¥38 — Collect at least five stamps; buy at the visitor service centre ticket office and use that day.
- 4D film: ¥30 — Visitor service centre 2F.
- Free: Everyone, permanent exhibition
- Permanent galleries are free; halls 7 and 8 were closed for renewal in the 30 September 2026 notice. Recheck before visiting.
- Booking: No booking for individuals
- Ticket office, visitor service centre (游客服务中心售票处)
- World Expo Museum official account (世博会博物馆) — WeChat → search 世博会博物馆
- Passport accepted: unknown — No published rule on passports for special-exhibition tickets.
- An older official guide says groups over 100 should phone 021-23132818 in advance; confirm this rule before arranging a group.
- The 2026 National Day notice explicitly says no reservation is needed during 1–7 October.
- A Korean post published in March 2023 described QR booking at the gate; its visit month was not stated. A Japanese post published in December 2025 described a free permanent-gallery visit without a reservation and placed the trip in December. These are historical accounts; the current published walk-in rule governs the main field.
- Last admission: 16:15
- Time to allow: 1.5–2.5 hr
- Getting there: Line 13 · World Expo Museum · Exit 2
- Metro Line 13 to World Expo Museum (世博会博物馆), Exit 2, about 3 min walk
- Metro Line 4 to Luban Road (鲁班路), Exit 2, about 15 min walk
- Metro Line 4/8 to South Xizang Road (西藏南路), Exit 3, about 25 min walk
- Show a taxi driver: 世博会博物馆，黄浦区蒙自路818号（近龙华东路）
- Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
- From South Xizang Road you can also take Exit 5 and change to bus 18.
- Walk from the Line 13 station is not stated; the station is named after the museum.
- Address: 818 Mengzi Road, Huangpu district (蒙自路818号).
- Foreign visitors: Free entry; ID needed to borrow equipment
Not found yet
- booking.passport.accepted: No published rule on passports for special-exhibition or film tickets. (searched: official web, web search, web search (English), Reddit via Exa)
Traveler tips
- Walk straight in; the main galleries are free. Individual visitors do not need a reservation and the permanent exhibition is free; go through security at 818 Mengzi Road. Only special exhibitions and the 4D cinema are paid. Check the museum notice for any temporarily closed halls before choosing a route. Caveat: The 30 September 2026 notice said halls 7 and 8 were closed for renewal; no reopening date was published. source
- Last week of the Qing robes show. 'Guocai' (国采), 101 Qing imperial robes and textiles from the Palace Museum in Beijing, closes on 7 October 2026 in temporary halls 1–3. Student holiday tickets are sold at the museum ticket office with the student's own student card or a valid CHSI (学信网) enrolment record; use the ticket that day. Caveat: The sources do not state whether an overseas student card qualifies. source
- Collect stamps at the 3–5 Oct party. From 3 to 5 October 2026 the museum holds a 'World Players Party' with a pop-up market, stage shows and workshops. Pick up a player map, collect at least five stamps, then go to the ticket office in the visitor service centre to buy a discounted Guocai ticket (on-site, same day only). The party runs on Monday 5 October too. source
- Take Line 13 to the museum's own station. Metro Line 13 has a station named World Expo Museum (世博会博物馆); use Exit 2. From Line 4 Luban Road (鲁班路) Exit 2 it is about 15 minutes on foot, and from Lines 4/8 South Xizang Road (西藏南路) Exit 3 about 25 minutes, or take Exit 5 there and change to bus 18 to its terminus at Longhua East Road. source
- Free luggage storage and stroller loan. The museum stores large luggage for free and also keeps mobility scooters. Wheelchairs and strollers are lent free when you show an ID. A paid audio-guide rental is available; ask at the service desk which languages it has. source
- Book a 4D film for children. The 4D cinema on 2F of the visitor service centre shows 'Expo Wonder Journey', a special-effects film that takes children back to Expo 2010, and 'The Elephant's Tale' about Yunnan's wandering elephant herd. Tickets are ¥30 each; check the day's screening times at the ticket office when you arrive. Caveat: The source does not state the film language or subtitle languages. source
- Two cafés and the souvenir shop. WE CAFE is on 3F of the south section and One Step museum café is in the 1F north hall. The Expo souvenir shop is on the ground floor of the visitor service centre, with official Expo 2010 merchandise. Caveat: Café and shop locations are listed in the 2026 National Day notice; check current opening on arrival. source
- Holiday Mondays are announced case by case. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:15. When a public holiday falls on a Monday, it announces separately whether it opens; check the 'news' list on expo-museum.cn or the WeChat account 世博会博物馆 the week before. source
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal Government
- World Expo Museum
- World Expo Museum
- 上海世博会博物馆
- 上海世博会博物馆
- 上海世博会博物馆 (published 2026-09-30)
- 上海世博会博物馆 (published 2026-09-29)
- 上海世博会博物馆 (published 2026-09-24)
- 上海本地宝 (published 2023-10-16)
- 上海发布 / Shanghai Municipal Government (published 2026-09-28)
- 上海市公安局 (published 2026-09-30)
- Shanghai World Expo Museum
- note (published 2025-12-31)
- Brunch (published 2023-03-03)