Shanghai's best museums

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 09:34 — Anonymous by Angela DolandShanghai sometimes gets
dismissed as a shallow city, a vortex of shopping, snacking and spending, but
rewarding cultural explorations do exist in China's commercial center.  Here
are six of Shanghai's best museums to add to your travel itinerary, from a
comprehensive state-run establishment to a hidden-in-the-basement private
institute. 1. Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆) Impress the ladies with your
knowledge of batik and embroidered textiles.Visitors might be tempted to
avoid the Shanghai Museum, the city's most official temple to Chinese
culture. For starters, it's ugly -- the 1990s construction on People's
Square looks like a massive bathroom sink. Get over that first impression and
you'll find treasures inside. One highlight is the ceramics collection and
its Tang Dynasty (618-907) tomb guardians, including a ferocious beast that
seems part dragon, tiger, horse and goat.read more