Shanghai: M50 Art District & West Bund Gallery Tour

Uncover a side of Shanghai that few tourists ever see — the city's thriving contemporary art scene. This half-day tour takes you through two of Shanghai's most exciting art districts, offering a curated journey from underground creativity to world-class museum exhibitions. Your tour begins at M50 Creative Park on Moganshan Road, Shanghai's original and most iconic art district. Once a collection of abandoned textile factories, M50 has been transformed into a buzzing hub of over 100 galleries, artist studios, and creative spaces. Your guide — an art-savvy local with deep connections in the scene — will take you to carefully selected galleries showcasing the most compelling current exhibitions, from provocative installations to cutting-edge digital art. You'll visit 3-4 galleries and have the chance to peek into working artist studios, where you might meet painters, sculptors, or multimedia artists at work. Your guide will provide context on China's contemporary art movement, from its underground origins in the 1980s to its current global prominence. Enjoy a coffee break at one of M50's trendy cafes nestled among the industrial architecture — a perfect moment to absorb the creative atmosphere and discuss what you've seen. The tour then moves to the West Bund, Shanghai's ambitious waterfront cultural corridor along the Huangpu River. Here you'll visit the West Bund Museum, a striking building designed by David Chipperfield Architects and home to a prestigious partnership with the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Time permitting, you'll also explore the exterior of the Long Museum (West Bund), one of China's largest private art museums, and stroll along the West Bund Waterfront Promenade.

Explore Shanghai's contemporary art scene! Visit M50 Creative Park's galleries and artist studios, then discover the West Bund Museum, Centre Pompidou's partner.