8 cities
Shanghai
🏺 Shanghai Museum
Two-venue setup: the East Building (Pudong) plus the People's Square Building. The permanent exhibitions are now reservation-free; special exhibitions require reservation and a ticket. Official channels = the Shanghai Museum website / mini program.
What you need to know
- East Building (1952 Century Avenue): open 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:00, closed Tuesdays (except public holidays); permanent exhibitions need no reservation
- People's Square Building (201 People's Avenue): open 9:00–17:00, last entry 15:00, closed Mondays (except public holidays); permanent exhibitions need no reservation
- Special exhibitions require reservation and a ticket (e.g. mega world-civilization exhibitions); group visits need a group reservation
- Passports are accepted for online reservations; an assisted counter is available on site
How to book
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Shanghai Museum official website shanghaimuseum.net (Visit Reservation)
Passport accepted
On the website's reservation page, pick the venue and date and register with your passport number
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WeChat mini program 「上海博物馆」 (Shanghai Museum mini program)
Passport accepted
Reserve and buy special-exhibition tickets inside the mini program
Sources
🌆 Yu Garden & the Bund
Yu Garden requires a ticket (online or on site); the Bund's public open areas need no reservation — only the observation decks up in the buildings are ticketed.
What you need to know
- Yu Garden: buy via the official Yu Garden mini program or at the on-site ticket booths; in peak season buy online ahead to skip the queues
- The Bund: the riverside promenade is free and open all day; ticketed spots such as the observation deck and the History Museum charge separately
- On weekend and holiday nights the Bund runs crowd controls, and some metro exits may be closed temporarily
How to book
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WeChat mini program 「豫园」 (Yu Garden mini program)
Passport accepted
Pick a date and buy the ticket; show the QR code at the gate, and passport details can be added afterwards
Sources
ℹ️ Shanghai: General Booking Rules
Shanghai's top sights are generally easier to book than Beijing's: most venues are reservation-free or sell on site, with special exhibitions the main exception.
What you need to know
- For two-venue museums, watch the different closing days (East Building: Tuesdays; People's Square Building: Mondays)
- Free venues (Shanghai Museum permanent exhibitions / Shanghai History Museum) are still best booked online to skip the queues
- Passports are accepted on official channels; English-language service is best covered at Shanghai's major attractions