Visit These Five Unexpected Shanghai Attractions The Guidebooks Miss

A city of nearly 30 million people, Shanghai is a bustling metropolis where traditions coexist with modernity, offering a myriad of sights, experiences, and opportunities. The spotlight often shines on the city's greatest hits, like the tranquil and traditional Yuyuan Garden, the historic waterfront of the Bund, or the extravagant skyline of the financial district, which prompted Rick Steves to call this Asian city a futuristic, Jetsons-like world. And as much as these places merit a visit, straying away from the guidebook can reveal some unexpected and overlooked gems — it's all about finding the best way to turn tourist hotspots into authentic experiences.

So, if you've already crossed the main attractions off your list and are looking to dive a little deeper into the culture of the city, what can you see? A complex of abandoned factories converted into an artistic haven, a museum dedicated entirely to propaganda posters, a restored slaughterhouse, a sprawling film set, and a weekend marriage market are just some of the cultural, artistic, and architectural gems that most travelers miss out on. These lesser-known destinations are guaranteed to satisfy the curious explorer in you, adding a layer of depth and richness to your Shanghai experience.

Feast your eyes on a staggering collection of Communist Revolution-era propaganda art posters from the 1950s to the 1970s in this extraordinary museum. Possessing around 8,000 original propaganda art posters as well as other relics such as cigarette advertisements or woodblock prints, the museum is a well-preserved documentation of this fascinating period in Chinese history. Initially a personal hobby of its owner, Yang Pei Ming, it soon became clear that his collection had evolved into an act of cultural preservation. Today, the Propaganda Poster Art Center holds an impressive collection of China's revolutionary-period posters. 

The collection also gives insight into the visual art that people interacted with on a daily basis during this period in time, from posters representing pictures of an idealized society and Mao Zedong (the leader of the revolution) to product advertisements and even words-only posters created by the people that count as the era's political graffiti. Besides the helpful explanations in Chinese and English, the friendly owner is always ready to chat about the artwork. Furthermore, the center's gift shop is one of the best places to get original and meaningful souvenirs. You can buy posters (reproductions or the real thing), Mao busts, copies of the Little Red Book containing famous quotes from Mao in different languages, and magazines, among others. Get the postcard book to take a compilation of the posters from the museum with you.

Formerly located in the basement of a residential building complex in the Former French Concession, the museum has now moved to a brighter, albeit slightly difficult to find, location on the seventh floor of an office building between two banks along West Yan'an Road. The closest station is Jiangsu Station on line 2, but it's easiest to take a taxi. There is a modest fee of around $4 to enter.

Shanghai takes its market culture seriously, and the existence of entire buildings solely dedicated to one specific trade — cameras, textiles, birds, flowers, pearls — proves this point. But perhaps one of the most intriguing markets to visit is the Marriage Market, which takes place in People's Square Park in the Huangpu district. Every weekend from noon till sundown, parents flock to this park to advertise the profiles of their single and eligible children in the hopes of making a successful match. Handwritten placards — propped on makeshift tables, lying on the pavement, or hung around necks — bluntly advertise their children's profiles, physical and economical assets, professions, educational attainment, and zodiac signs. No names or photographs are posted, a revealing look at the importance of social status and stability in China.

This strange cultural practice has its roots in arranged marriages which were the norm until the 1950s, when a new Chinese law banned the practice. Yet old habits die hard, and the Marriage Market helps the older generation keep an age-old tradition alive, especially in the face of declining interests in marriage. According to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs (via Reuters), the number of Chinese couples getting married in 2024 plunged to an alarming 6.1 million from 2023's 7.68 million. You can visit the market by taking metro lines 1, 2, or 8 to People's Square Station and entering the park through Gate 5. Most participants do not want to be filmed or photographed, so respect their wishes if asked not to. Embrace the experience with open-mindedness, a trait that greatly differentiates a tourist from a traveler. 

A slaughterhouse isn't a normal tourist destination, but it's one of the places that cannot be missed when in Shanghai. Located in the Hongkou district, the 1933 Shanghai Slaughterhouse (or Old Millfun), was built for slaughtering and preparing meat for foreigners during the 1930s colonial period in Shanghai. An example of an East-meets-West collaboration, the building was designed by British architects and brought to life by the former Shanghai Municipal Council using high-quality imported materials. Composed of a round central core enveloped by a rectangular concrete outer shell, the four-story abattoir is punctuated by a maze of 26 labyrinth-like walkways or "air bridges" used for herding animals to their deaths, alongside numerous staircases, columns, and ramps. 

After its retirement as a slaughterhouse, the building was used as a processing plant for food and pharmaceutical manufacturers before it was abandoned in 2002. Its restoration in 2008 harmoniously tied its original elements — latticed windows and Art Deco columns, among others — with interventions like timber corridors and glazed railings. Completing the slaughterhouse's renaissance is a top floor made of glass for viewing and a steel-dome roof that funnels light into the somber space. 

For a space that served such morbid purposes, the slaughterhouse's reinvention has attracted its fair share of locals and foreigners; helped, no doubt, by the presence of several commercial establishments that now occupy the ancient units. It remains relatively quiet nevertheless, with its atypical structure still being the main draw for selfie-taking tourists or architectural buffs looking to contemplate its historical relevance. To get there, get off at Hailun Road Station from lines 4 or 10 and take Exit 3. The 1933 Shanghai Slaughterhouse is less than a half a mile walk away.

If you're up for a dose of art in a relaxed setting, an amble around the M50 Art District should be right up your alley. Located just a stone's throw away from Suzhou Creek's southern side, this 36-acre (14.5 hectare) lot — which hosted textile factories and a wool mill until 1999 — was transformed into a sprawling art complex in 2000. Taking advantage of its cheap rent, artist studios, design agencies, and art galleries have become the dilapidated buildings' new tenants, resulting in a vibrant and creative destination for contemporary Chinese artists. The charm in visiting M50 is the fact that you can enter any building, walk through its graffiti-laden halls, and pop into an artist's studio. It could very well be empty, or you could find an artist toiling away at a work in progress. It's a great way to connect with local artists as well as many are open to showing you more of their work, both personal and commissioned. 

Also, at M50, there are number of art galleries showcasing cutting-edge art, making it a great way to discover China's under-the-radar and up-and-coming artists. You could easily spend half a day wandering around the winding alleys. Notable stops include ShanghART Gallery (building 16), one of Shanghai's earliest advocates of contemporary art; Island6 (building 6), an art collective that fuses traditional paintings with cutting-edge technologies; or DN Darkroom Club, where you can rent a darkroom to develop and print your own analog film (the club also gives lessons to novices). There are several cafes around the complex as well if you need to stop for a snack or pick-me-up. To get to M50, take the metro lines 3 or 4 to Zhongtan Road station, or line 13 to Jiangning Road station.

Admittedly, this spot in the Songjiang District is quite a trek from the center of Shanghai, but the trip may be worth it for an afternoon of discovering Shanghai's answer to a Hollywood film set. Understandably immense (the park spans 43 hectares), the Shanghai Film Park features film sets depicting Shanghai landmarks through different eras. As a location where mostly traditional period films are shot, visiting the park is like a trip back in time allowing you to stroll down Shanghai's most famous shopping street, Nanjing Road, albeit in the 1930s. Other notable replications include the Bund, Jing'An Temple, rows of traditional lane houses (shikumen), and European-style wineries, churches, and infrastructure. If you're lucky, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of a film crew in action. 

However, there is more to do than strolling the streets. Tour a warehouse where the vintage cars and military vehicles used for movies are stored, enter the buildings to see elaborate set interiors, or visit the exhibitions of various props and traditional costumes. Not exactly your typical tourist destination — it is a working film set, after all — it's still quite interesting to see where the magic of cinema happens, whether you're a film buff or just a curious soul. To get to the Film Park catch metro line 1 to the LianHua Road station. From here, jump on either the Lianshi, Lianjin, or Shangshi bus lines and get off at the Chedun stop. The park entrance is around a third of a mile from there.