Budget-Friendly
Free Things to Do
in Shanghai
Shanghai can be surprisingly affordable. Here are eight amazing experiences that cost absolutely nothing.
Shanghai's best experiences cost nothing
Shanghai has a reputation as an expensive city, and it can be if you stick to rooftop bars and Michelin-starred tasting menus. But the city's most memorable experiences — a dawn walk along the Bund with only tai chi practitioners for company, an afternoon exploring contemporary art inside a converted power station, watching parents negotiate their children's marriage prospects at the People's Park Marriage Market — cost exactly nothing. The trick is knowing where to look.
Several of Shanghai's best museums are free, including the Shanghai Museum (ancient bronzes and ceramics) and the Power Station of Art (contemporary exhibitions in a riverside industrial space). Both require advance reservations via WeChat or their official websites — book two to three days ahead, especially on weekends. For outdoor experiences, the Bund and French Concession are free 24/7 and reward repeat visits at different times of day. The M50 art district in a former textile mill has dozens of galleries with rotating exhibitions, all free to enter.
How the free museum reservation works
The two big free museums require a reservation, and it is easier than it sounds. Both the Shanghai Museum and the Power Station of Art have English-language websites and WeChat mini-programs where you can book a free timed-entry ticket. Note that the Shanghai Museum now runs a branch on the east side of Pudong along the Huangpu — check which location your reservation is for, as the two are far apart. Free admission is genuinely free, but you still need the reservation and your passport to get in.
The real gift of the free list is the neighborhoods you can spend a whole day in without spending money. Start the morning with tai chi on the Bund, walk through the French Concession, watch the marriage market at the north end of People's Park (weekend mornings), then browse the galleries at M50. These free spots often become the moments travelers remember most because they are the ones they planned the least. Combine them with a stroll through the City God Temple bazaar and you have a full, memorable day in the Old City for zero cost.
The Bund
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The best view in Shanghai costs nothing. Walk the waterfront at sunset for the full skyline show. Free any time of day or night.
French Concession Wander
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Lose yourself in the plane-tree-lined streets of the former French Concession. Wukang Road, Anfu Road, and Hunan Road are the prettiest.
Shanghai Museum
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World-class ancient Chinese art and artifacts. Free entry (reservation required online). The bronze and ceramics galleries are extraordinary.
M50 Art District
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Shanghai's contemporary art hub inside a converted textile mill. Dozens of galleries, all free to browse. The street art on the surrounding walls is a bonus.
People's Park Marriage Market
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Every weekend, parents gather with umbrellas displaying their adult children's CVs in search of a match. Bizarre, fascinating, and uniquely Shanghai.
Longhua Temple Vicinity
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The temple complex is worth the modest fee, but the surrounding grounds, pagoda views, and atmosphere are free. Especially atmospheric during festivals.
Power Station of Art
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China's first state-run contemporary art museum, housed in a former power station. Free entry to most exhibitions. On the Huangpu riverfront.
Nanjing Road People-Watching
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The pedestrian section is pure theater. Neon, crowds, street performers, and a sensory overload that costs nothing to experience.