Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre: A Hidden and Unusual Gem
Sometimes you think you have discovered a hidden gem, but when you arrive at the place in question, it does not seem to be quite hidden after all.
However, I can reassure you: The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre (上海宣传画艺术中心) is a real hidden gem. While studying and living in China, I found out about this underrated place. And to my surprise, none of my friends in Shanghai had even heard of the museum!
In this article, you’ll find out how to get to this hidden gem and what you can expect.
How to get to the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre?
The location of the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre has led to it being a hidden gem, as the location of the Art Centre is very well hidden. The first time I visited it with my dad, we even got lost.
Therefore, it’s important to read the following instructions on how to get to the Art Centre. It has recently been relocated and you might not be able to find it otherwise. If you type in the address in Google it probably won’t lead you to the right address.
The new location of the Art Centre is on the seventh floor of the East Tower of Huamin Han Zhen International Plaza on 726 Yanan Xi Lu (上海宣传画艺术中心 延安西路726号东楼7层, 近江苏路).
If you’re visiting the Art Centre by taxi, type this address into your DiDi app: 上海杨培明宣传画收藏艺术馆
In case this somehow does not work for you, you can type in ”Hotel Nikko”. This is a hotel located just across the street from the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre.
If you are going to use public transport to get to the Art Centre, get off at the following Metro Stop: Jiangsu Lu (line 2 and 11).
When you reach the correct address, you will need to go inside of a building located in between two banks (one of them is SRCB, Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank).
After entering this building, go to the right to enter Building 726. Then, take the elevator up to floor 7, where the Art Centre is located.
Congratulations, you have now found this hidden gem.
Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre
The opening hours of the Art Centre are: 10:00 AM till 5:00 PM.
The entrance fee is around 20-25 yuan.
The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre used to be located inside a basement. Its new location has given it more space to showcase its thousands of original propaganda posters from China.
The owner of the museum is Mr. Yang Peiming, who started collecting propaganda posters as a hobby. He later on decided to showcase his collection as art to preserve his posters for the future.
The museum is truly fascinating, as it shines light on the use of propaganda posters during the Maoist era of communist China. Especially during the Cultural Revolution.
A visit to this museum is definitely something unusual. It’s very different than a visit to the more common tourist places such as the Bund, the Pearl Tower or Nanjing Road.
The museum and its rare posters showcase a timeline of (Chinese) history. Some of the posters are even accompanied by a detailed description of its meaning.
The museum also has a gift shop, where you can buy posters (originals or copies), original little red books, old magazines, old maps and even tote bags.
In conclusion
For people who are interested in Chinese history or propaganda posters in general, the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is a must visit in Shanghai.
If you’re interested in other lesser known museums in Shanghai, I would recommend visiting the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum as well.
For more inspiration on where to go in China, have a look at my other articles!
- A Travel Guide To The Untouched Shengsi Islands in China
- 11 Must-Have Apps To Use in China As An Expat
- The Shanghai Confucian Temple: A Hidden Oasis of Peace
- The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum: A Unique Place To Visit
- What Studying At Shanghai Jiao Tong University Was Really Like
Away with Danae
