It’s been a long, hot summer. But the good news is there are quite a few places in Shanghai you can go to escape the heat, and none of them charges any fees.

1. World Expo Museum

Highlight: With a smart and cool design, the museum hosts eight permanent exhibitions, showing the legacy of World Expos and promoting their vision.  
Address: No. 818 Mengzi Rd, Huangpu District

2. Shanghai Jiading Public Library

Highlight: Being honored as one of the “Best Public Libraries in the World” by the U.S. Interior Design Magazine, the building forms a U shape around a reflecting pool that combines architecture and nature.
Address: No. 1288 South Yumin Rd, Jiading District

3. T'ou-Sè-Wè Museum

Highlight: Located on the former site of T'ou-Sè-Wè, the cradle of modern creative art in China, the museum presents the paintings, wood carvings and other crafts created in the area.
Address: No. 55 Puhuitang Rd, Xuhui District 

4. Shanghai Tin Toy Museum

Highlight: With 3,000 vintage toys, the museum offers a welcome dose of nostalgia for those now in middle age.
Address: NO. 1315 Liangcheng Rd, Hongkou District

5. Shanghai Museum of Old Camera Manufacturing

Highlight: A heaven of photographic equipment, this place has an impressive selection of Chinese cameras and other film cameras.
Address: No. 300 Anfu Rd, Xuhui District

6. Deepsea Exploration Pavilion

Highlight: Located in Tongji University, the pavilion displays a vivid world of the deep sea and the latest ocean exploration technology.
Address: No. 1230 Siping Rd, Yangpu District

7. Liu Haisu Art Museum

Highlight: Flanked by lush trees, the museum’s stately and elegant architecture is dubbed “the most attractive museum in Puxi.”
Address: No. 1609 West Yan’an Rd, Changning District

8. China Art Museum

Highlight: The museum is in a building with astonishing architecture, which resembles an upside-down red pyramid. On display are works showing the origins and development of modern Chinese art.  
Address: No. 205 Shangnan Rd, Pudong New Area 

9. Shanghai Museum

Highlight: The museum has gained a high reputation for its comprehensive and precious collections. The recent “A History of the World in 100 Objects” exhibition has particularly proven its popularity.
Address: No. 201 People’s Avenue, Huangpu District