Introduction

At the time of writing, the Power Station of Art is one of the few buildings at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo site that has been repurposed. According to the museum information, the building was originally built in 1897 as the Nanshi Power Station. During the Expo it served as the Pavilion of Future of the World. Its 165m high chimney now famously serves as a thermometer for the city showing the day's temperature.

The building re-opened in October 2012 as a contemporary art museum and while having no current permanent exhibits, does host some interesting shows.

 

Visitor's Information

Name in Chinese: ?????????
Entry Fee: general - free. Special exhibitions have entry fees. Check the PSA website for specific shows and admissions.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Sunday 9:00am-5:00 pm (last entry at 4pm). Closed on Monday except for National Holidays.
Address: 200 Huayuangang Lu, near Miaojiang Lu | ????200?, ????
Getting there: is tricky. Follow the PSA's transportation directions.

Facilities

• Rotating exhibitions
• Ground floor upscale cafe
• 7F fine dining restaurant
• Kids' activities (check with museum for special times)
• Gift shop
• Toilets
• Small self-service storage lockers for bags
• Escalators and elevators
• Parking and bike racks

 

Wheelchair / Stroller Friendly?

Yes, wheelchairs and strollers can get to all areas of the building and the museum offers complimentary wheelchairs on the ground level. Inquire at the info desk.

Guide Comments

The first time I visited the museum was to see an Andy Warhol exhibit. We took our kids (ages 3 and 8) and they both enjoyed the art and the space. There's a lot of big open space for kids to run around in and if you're lucky, you might be there when a kids' activity is on.

At the time of my visit, the museum had been open less than a year and they could use a good permanent exhibition in order to attract more visitors. That said, the two shows that were on were quite interesting.

We paid a visit to the ground floor cafe and enjoyed the experience. Unlike other museums in Shanghai, this cafe is quite upscale meaning the coffee is good (illy) and the have nice food and snacks.

All in all, with kids in tow, we spent about an hour and a half in the museum and that was enough.