Areas
People's Square
人民广场
The square, park and museums at the city's main metro interchange, between Nanjing Road and Yan'an Road, with Hudec's Park Hotel and Moore Memorial Church.
Best fortransport hubmuseums
People’s Square (人民广场, Rénmín Guǎngchǎng) is the open square and park in the middle of the city, between Nanjing Road to the north and Yan’an Road to the south. Under it is one of the busiest metro interchanges in Shanghai, which makes it the easiest place in the city to get to.
What is here
The Shanghai Museum, the city’s main museum of ancient Chinese art, stands on the south side of the square. On weekends the paths of People’s Park fill with parents posting notices about their unmarried children: the People’s Park Marriage Market.
Around the edges are buildings from the decades before the war. Two of them are by László Hudec (邬达克, Wū Dákè): the Park Hotel tower on Nanjing West Road and the Moore Memorial Church on Xizang Middle Road. To the south, the Shanghai Concert Hall was lifted and moved to make room for the elevated road, and the old Great World amusement hall stands at the corner of Yan’an Road and Xizang Road.
As a base
If you will spend your days in different parts of the city, staying near People’s Square saves time. The Bund is a walk east along the East Nanjing Road pedestrian street.
Loading map…
Places to see
Building· 1917–1928
Great World
大世界Dàshìjiè
An amusement hall opened in 1917 and rebuilt in 1928, now a venue for intangible cultural heritage performances at Yan'an Road and Xizang Road.
Church· 1929–1931
Moore Memorial Church
沐恩堂Mù'ēn Táng
A Neo-Gothic Methodist church designed by László Hudec and opened in 1931, beside People's Square, with Sunday services.
Building· 1931–1934
Park Hotel
国际饭店Guójì Fàndiàn
An 83.8 m, 24-floor hotel tower of 1934 by László Hudec, with a survey 'origin' marker for Shanghai's coordinate system in its lobby.
Park· 1952
People's Park Marriage Market
人民公园相亲角Rénmín Gōngyuán Xiāngqīn Jiǎo
A weekend gathering in People's Park where parents post notices to find partners for their unmarried adult children.
Building· 1930
Shanghai Concert Hall
上海音乐厅Shànghǎi Yīnyuè Tīng
A 1930 cinema turned concert hall, lifted and moved 66.46 m southeast in 2003 for the Yan'an Elevated Road.
Museum· 1934
Shanghai History Museum
上海市历史博物馆Shànghǎi Shì Lìshǐ Bówùguǎn
Shanghai's city history museum since 2018, in the 1934 Shanghai Race Club building at People's Square, with the port-era story from 1843 to 1949.
Museum· 1993–1996
Shanghai Museum
上海博物馆Shànghǎi Bówùguǎn
Shanghai's flagship museum of ancient Chinese art, in a bronze-vessel-shaped building on People's Square, opened in 1996. Check hours; it closes Mondays.
Museum· 2000
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center
上海城市规划展示馆Shànghǎi Chéngshì Guīhuà Zhǎnshìguǎn
An exhibition hall on People's Square built around a 1:500 scale model of central Shanghai; open again since August 2022 after renovation.
Where to stay
Staying in People's Square
Why stay here
- +People's Square station is an interchange for Lines 1, 2 and 8, so most of the city is one change away.
- +The Shanghai Museum is on the square, and the Bund is a walk east along Nanjing Road.
- +Central without the waterfront prices of the Bund.
Downsides
- −Wide roads and an elevated expressway cut the area into blocks; some crossings are by underpass.
- −The station is large; check which exit you need before you go up.
Price level¥¥¥
Getting to and from
| Pudong Airport | 62 minLine 2 from People's Square(estimate) |
|---|---|
| Hongqiao Airport | 29 minLine 2 from People's Square(estimate) |
| Hongqiao Railway Station | 31 minLine 2 from People's Square(estimate) |
| Shanghai Railway Station | 6 minLine 1 from People's Square(estimate) |
Where to stay
Hotel recommendations for this area are being checked.
Getting here
Metro linesLine 1Line 2Line 8Line 10Line 14