Shanghai Museums Worth Visiting (2026): Tickets, Booking & Free-Entry Days

Most of Shanghai's big museums are free, but the good ones need a timed reservation you make in advance, usually through a WeChat account, up to about a week ahead. The Shanghai Museum East and Power Station of Art are free; the Shanghai Astronomy Museum charges 30 RMB and books out fast. Bring your passport, since entry is tied to the ID you reserve with. Do I need to book Shanghai museums in advance? For the popular ones, yes. Free admission does not mean walk-in: most major museums run timed-entry reservations to manage crowds, and the busiest slots go days ahead. You reserve through the museum's official WeChat account or mini-program, choosing a date and time, and you enter using the same passport or ID you booked with. A few venues still let individuals walk in; the trick is knowing which, so check before you cross the city. Which Shanghai museums are worth the trip? Three that consistently reward a visit, across very different moods: Shanghai Museum East (Pudong) is the huge new wing of the Shanghai Museum, showing bronzes, ceramics, painting and calligraphy across bright modern galleries. Free, and individuals can walk in. Power Station of Art (Huangpu riverside) is a…