Travel in China
Start on the first floor with the bronze gallery (the museum's strongest), then work upward through ceramics, painting, and the smaller galleries.
Suggested Itinerary
- First floor: bronzes
The bronze gallery is the museum's centrepiece - allow 45 minutes for the Shang and Zhou ritual vessels. - Second and third floors
The ceramics gallery for the porcelain timeline, then the painting and calligraphy galleries. - Fourth floor: jade and seals
The smaller galleries - jade, seals, coins and Ming furniture - reward a slower pace.
What to See
The Da Ke Ding
A massive Western Zhou bronze tripod - one of the most important surviving Chinese bronzes.
The Ceramics Timeline
From Neolithic pots to Qing porcelain - 8,000 years in one gallery.
The Wang Xizhi Calligraphy
Copies and originals tracing the development of Chinese brush writing.
The Ming Furniture Rooms
Huanghuali and zitan wood furniture arranged as they would have been used.
The Shijiahe Jade Deity
A mysterious 4,000-year-old jade figure from the Shijiahe culture.
The Museum Building
Photograph the circular form from People's Square - best in morning light.
Photo Gallery
Tips from Real Travelers
Food & Drink
Museum cafe
Light meals and coffee on the ground floor.
People's Square food halls
The surrounding shopping centres have extensive food courts.
Nanjing West Road dining
10 minutes north - one of Shanghai's main dining corridors.
The Bund
20 minutes east on foot or one metro stop - riverside fine dining.
Comments