The Shanghai Postal Museum occupies a 1920s building that once housed the city’s China Post headquarters, near Suzhou Creek in Hongkou District. Its central hall is the architectural highlight, with replicas of postal vehicles and a model of China’s first regular airmail plane suspended above. Exhibits trace the development of mail in China and Shanghai, with stamp collections and historic postal equipment. If postal history interests you, allow about three hours; otherwise, the building and its surroundings may be the main reason to stop.
The former China Post headquarters
The museum is housed in a 1920s building that served as Shanghai’s China Post headquarters. Its exterior and interior architecture are part of the visit, with the central hall drawing attention for its scale. The building stands near Suzhou Creek in Hongkou District.
Look closely at the marble counters: grooves left by parcel strings remain visible. The museum also has a small garden above.
Mail, stamps and postal equipment
The displays trace postal services from early forms of written messages through later developments in China and Shanghai. Stamp collections and mail-related objects sit alongside replicas of postal vehicles. A model of China’s first regular airmail plane hangs in the central hall.
Exhibits include demonstrations of historic pneumatic tube systems and stamps made with vegetable-based inks in the 1950s. English-language signage is limited, so visitors who rely on English explanations may find some displays harder to follow.
Perguntas frequentes
How long should I spend at the Shanghai Postal Museum?
Allow about three hours if you are interested in exploring the postal history exhibits.
When is the Shanghai Postal Museum open?
It is open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, and closed on the other days listed.
Is there an entry fee?
The museum is described as free to enter.
