Shanghai / Nanjing Road Sights

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• People's Square (人民广场 Rénmín Guǎngchǎng) - Located at the heart of the city, it is the political and cultural center of this city. A racecourse in the colonial era and the place where one million Red Guards gathered in 1966, today's park is a comfortable place to spend an afternoon with many pigeons and lots of fresh air. Entry into People's Park on the north half of the square is free, but all attractions listed below are on the edges of the park, not inside. People's Square can be easily reached with metro lines no. 1 and 2.

• The Shanghai Museum www.shanghaimuseum.net/en/index.asp is the premiere museum of Chinese art and artifacts in China. It is located in People's Square and is beautiful inside and out. The exterior evokes a bronze urn, which is appropriate since the museum holds the world's greatest collection of Chinese bronzes. The collection is well-presented and state-of-the-art. Directions and information are presented in Chinese and English, and the facilities are world-class. The museum is open daily 9AM-5PM (last admission at 4PM), Saturday to 7PM. Admission is 20 RMB (5 RMB for students), plus 40 RMB for the excellent audio guide. Admission is free Saturday 5-7PM. Address: 201 Renmin Dadao. Phone: 86-21-6372-3500. The audio guide is highly recommended, especially if you do not know much about Chinese art.
  

  Jing An Temple (Feb. 2007)

• Shanghai Art Gallery - Bordering the People's Square on the north-west corner, this is a large international gallery with a frequently changing program.

• Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (100 Renmin Dadao, on the road across People's Park) – More interesting than you'd expect given its name, this museum documents the history of Shanghai and attempts to chart its future, with changing exhibits on the first two floors and a permanent exhibition on the rest. Particularly worthwhile is the massive scale model of what Shanghai should look like in 2020. Entry ¥25.

• Jing'an Temple (静安寺) - Not to be mistaken for the "Temple of the Jade Buddha" (玉佛寺) - This is an old temple that is said to have been built in the year 247 AD, making it 1761 years old this year (2008).

• www.shanghaimuseum.net/en/index.asp