7 things to do in Shanghai when it rains

Shanghai on a rainy day

Viewpoint · Lujiazui (Pudong)

1.Shanghai Tower

Check the air quality and cloud base before buying; on hazy days the view from the Bund is better than from the top.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Views
• Iconic
• Architecture
• Rainy day

Museum · The Bund and People's Square

2.Shanghai Museum

Start with the bronze gallery on the ground floor, then take the lift to the ceramics and furniture rooms before the crowds build.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Free

• History
• Art
• Free
• Rainy day

Religious site · Jing'an

3.Jade Buddha Temple

Have a bowl of vegetarian noodles at the temple's restaurant after your visit.

Time needed

1 hour

Cost

Low cost

• History
• Architecture
• Rainy day

Museum · Jing'an

4.Shanghai Natural History Museum

Book a weekday visit; school-holiday weekends are very busy.

Time needed

2–3 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Kids
• Rainy day
• Nature

Gallery · Huangpu riverside

5.Power Station of Art

Check the programme before you go; the building is worth seeing, but the shows change completely between exhibitions.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Cost

Low cost

• Art
• Architecture
• Rainy day
• Off the beaten path

Museum · North Bund and Hongkou

6.Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum

Walk the surrounding Tilanqiao streets afterwards, where some of the refugees' lane houses still stand.

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Cost

Low cost

• History
• Rainy day
• Off the beaten path

Aquarium · Lujiazui (Pudong)

7.Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

Visit on a weekday morning, when the tunnel is less crowded with school groups.

Time needed

2 hours

Cost

Mid-priced

• Kids
• Rainy day

Grouped by area

Booking and timing

Of these 7, 1 free, 4 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Natural History Museum. The longest visit is Shanghai Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.

• Shanghai Museum: Entry is free but usually requires a timed reservation with your passport number; book a few days ahead for weekends.
• Shanghai Natural History Museum: Tickets are sold by timed slot and can sell out at weekends and in school holidays.

How to fit them into 4 half-days

Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.

• Half-day 1 (Lujiazui (Pudong)): Shanghai Tower → Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, at least 4 hours.
• Half-day 2 (The Bund and People's Square and Jing'an): Shanghai Museum → Jade Buddha Temple, at least 3 hours.
• Half-day 3 (Jing'an and Huangpu riverside): Shanghai Natural History Museum → Power Station of Art, at least 4 hours.
• Half-day 4 (North Bund and Hongkou): Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, at least 1 hour.

The wettest months

• June: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 14 rainy days, moderate crowds. The plum rain season usually starts mid-month, bringing days of humid drizzle and heavy showers.
• March: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. Changeable spring weather with drizzle, but magnolias and plum blossom appear in parks and gardens.
• July: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot and very humid, often above 35°C; sightsee early and late and spend midday in museums and malls.

The neighbourhoods they are in

• The Bund and People's Square — Riverfront heritage buildings, Nanjing Road East and the main museums in Huangpu District
• Jing'an — Golden temple roofs, West Nanjing Road malls and serviced apartments
• Lujiazui (Pudong) — Skyscrapers, observation decks and riverside promenades on the east bank
• North Bund and Hongkou — Older residential streets, Duolun Road and the former Jewish refugee quarter

More of Shanghai

All things to do in Shanghai · Where to stay · When to go.

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