Shanghai Railway Museum
The Shanghai Railway Museum is built in accordance with the model of former Shanghai Railway Station which was completed in 1909 in the British classical architectural style. Built on the former site of Shanghai Railway Station in the ratio of 1:1.08, Shanghai Railway Museum is one of the popular science education bases in Shanghai, which introduces the development of railways in Shanghai as well as in East China over the past 100 years. It is also one of the best Railway Museums in China.
Shanghai Railway Museum Facts
Exhibition Area
China's first operating railway, Wusong Railway, was built in Shanghai. The 14.5-kilometer Wusong Railway started construction in December 1874 and was fully completed and put into operation in December 1876. The exhibition in the museum shows the development and changes of the railway with a history of more than 100 years
The collections are displayed in the museum’s four floors including thousands of precious pictures, documents, historical materials about the railway and train. Also there are 6 venues with different themes, including Preface Hall, Railway Construction Hall, World of Railway Hall, Harmonious Railway Construction Hall and The Old Station Hall.
After entering Shanghai Railway Museum, into the room on your left side, and you will get a glimpse of China's railway history. Here you will see an exact copy of a Pioneer locomotive, the first engine to run on the Wusong Railway, China’s first railroad built specifically for commercial use in 1876. The theme of the second zone is railway transportation. Besides scale models of locomotives, there is a set of steam locomotive wheels that demonstrate how the wheels rotate. In the third and fourth zone, you see all kinds of railway workers' uniforms and badges. The collection in this section is a locomotive-shaped laboratory where you can learn to drive a train. Besides, you can feel the spirit apparent in China's railway industry through a scale model depicting the layout of Shanghai South Railway Station in the fourth zone.
>> Recommended China Train Lover’s Tour to Shanghai Railway Museum
Important Exhibits
There is an old platform in the courtyard in front of Shanghai Railway Museum. Three trains are about to depart from it: a jumbo-sized locomotive, an elegant private carriage, and a choo-choo specially-designed for narrow-gauge railroads. The large one is a KD7-641, which was made in the 1940s in the United States, and was donated by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration to help China recover its economy.
The black green carriage was the high-class service car of major government officials during China’s Republican Era. It is said that it used to be the private car of Soong May-ling. Its luxurious and elegant interior has been refurbished and is a highlight of the museum. The third one on display is a SN-26 type steam locomotive specially-made for running on narrow gauge railroads. Measuring less than half the width of ordinary ones, the mini-locomotive retired in the 1990s.
Children's Experience Zone
The Shanghai Railway Museum is also a good choice for families traveling to Shanghai with children. The museum has a “cockpit” specially prepared for children to experience the fun of driving a train. There is an operator's desk, driver's and co-driver's seats, joysticks, brake handles, and gauges - it's like being in a real train cockpit.
History witnessed by Shanghai Railway Museum
It was established on the former site of Shanghai North Railway Station. This historic railway station, once the starting point of the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway (the predecessor of the present-day Shanghai-Nanjing High-Speed Railway) and the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway, quietly witnessed the rise and prosperity of China's railroads. The yellowed headline of “The Declaration” in the museum display case today reads “Songhu Railway opened to traffic”.
The station has also witnessed many major historical events, such as the opening of the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway after the Xinhai Revolution, and the rapid development of railroad transportation after the founding of New China.
During the August 13th Battle of Songhu in 1937, Shanghai North Railway Station was heavily bombed by the Japanese, and the station building suffered serious damage. However, the station did not fall down, but underwent many repairs and resumed operation after the war.
How to Get to Shanghai Railway Museum
By subway: take subway line 3 or 4 and get off at Baoshan Road Station, from where, walk for about 7 minutes to get to the museum.
By city bus: take bus No. 13, 18, 63, 302, 308, 318, 319, 329, 502, 537, 948, 952 to Tianmu East Road Westnorth Road station, go west for about 100 meters, and you will find Shanghai Railway Museum.
Useful Travel Tips
- The museum offers robotic interpretation services, at 10:30 and 14:30.
- You can get a free popular science book “Into the Era of High-speed Rail” on the left hand side of the entrance.
- Next to it is Baoshan Road subway station. From the window on the south side of the entry floor, you can see the old Chinese green train in the backyard of the museum, which is very spectacular.
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