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Family outings

Family outings in Shanghai

Shanghai is great with children: huge, often free parks, spectacular museums, children's libraries, a French-speaking life around the Lycée français and Shanghai Accueil, and water towns an hour away. Here are our addresses, checked against official sources.

Verified on 30 October 2026

Parks, urban forests and animals

Shanghai is far greener than you would expect: large free parks, urban forests with little trains, botanical gardens and zoos, most of them reachable by metro.

Good to know

  • Several forest parks are free and have a little sightseeing train that children love, such as Gongqing or Binjiang; the train ticket is paid separately, with a parent-child fare at Gongqing. Source
  • In spring, the cherry blossom festival at Gucun Park draws crowds; in autumn, sunflowers, cosmos and foliage colour the botanical gardens and forest parks. Source
  • The Huangpu riverbanks, from the West Bund to Lujiazui and the North Bund, can be explored on foot or by bike, between museums and viewpoints. Source

Addresses

  • Century Park

    Park

    Pudong

    Pudong's big park, a neighbour of the Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai Museum East and Library East: enough for a full day out.

    Source

  • Gongqing National Forest Park

    Park

    2000 Jungong Road, Yangpu

    A free urban forest on the Huangpu, with a little red train running a kilometre through woods, streams and flower fields; close to the Yangpu campus.

    Source

  • Binjiang Forest Park

    Park

    3 Lingqiao Gaoshatan, Gaoqiao, Pudong

    A free forest park where the Huangpu meets the Yangtze, with a little electric train and seasonal flower fields.

    Source

  • Shanghai Botanical Garden

    Park

    The city's botanical garden, one of the recommended spots for pink muhly grass and autumn colours.

    Website Source

  • Chenshan Botanical Garden

    Park

    Songjiang

    A huge botanical garden in the south-west, with sunflower fields in autumn; a lovely outing for families in Qingpu.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Zoo

    Park

    Changning, près de Hongqiao

    The city zoo, a stone's throw from Hongqiao airport, featured on the city's official discovery routes.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Wild Animal Park

    Park

    178 Nanliu Highway, Pudong

    A large 5A-rated wildlife park: over 200 species, including giant pandas, giraffes and elephants, seen by shuttle or on foot, with regular demonstrations.

    Website Source

  • West Bund (Xuhui Riverside)

    Park

    Xuhui, bord du Huangpu

    A riverside promenade between art museums, industrial heritage and viewpoints, very popular at weekends.

    Website Source

Go further

Museums for the whole family

Shanghai's major museums are spectacular and often free for permanent collections; ID is usually enough to get in, except during blockbuster exhibitions.

Good to know

  • At the Shanghai Museum on People's Square, individual visitors have entered without booking, with their passport, since September 2025; the audio guide is available in French. Closed on Mondays, except public holidays. Source
  • The Science and Technology Museum reopened in January 2026 after renovation, with over 400 interactive displays and a Mini World area designed for children. Source
  • Many museums are directly served by the metro: line 13 even has a Natural History Museum station. Source

Addresses

  • Musée de Shanghai (place du Peuple)

    Museum

    201 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu

    Bronzes, ceramics, jade and major international exhibitions; audio guide in French.

    Website Source

  • Musée de Shanghai Est

    Museum

    1952 Century Avenue, Pudong

    The museum's new site, twenty galleries and interactive spaces; closed on Tuesdays.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Natural History Museum

    Museum

    510 West Beijing Road, Jing'an

    In Jing'an Sculpture Park: dinosaurs, animals and geology, a must with children.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

    Museum

    2000 Century Avenue, Pudong

    Renovated in 2026: rainforest, human body, artificial intelligence and an area for little ones.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Astronomy Museum

    Museum

    380 Lingang Avenue, Lin-gang

    The astronomy museum, part of the Science and Technology Museum, at the far end of Pudong; a day trip.

    Source

  • Shanghai Metro Museum

    Museum

    1799-7 Wuzhong Road, Minhang

    China's first metro museum, for little train fans; Ziteng Road metro (line 10).

    Source

  • China Art Museum (Shanghai)

    Museum

    205 Shangnan Road, Pudong

    In the former China Pavilion of Expo 2010, a huge modern art collection; closed on Mondays.

    Source

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Libraries and the French media library

There is no Institut français in Shanghai, but the Alliance française has a media library, and the public children's libraries are superb, free and often stocked with foreign-language books.

Good to know

  • The Alliance française media library holds nearly 15,000 French books, including picture books and comics; reading on site is free, borrowing is for Alliance students with a card (according to afshanghai.org).
  • Every third Saturday of the month, the Alliance française runs a French story time for ages 3 to 6, and a reading club for ages 7 to 10.
  • The Shanghai Children's Library, founded in 1941, is open daily without booking and has a foreign-language collection. Source
  • The Lycée français has its own libraries on each campus, the BCD for primary and the 3C for secondary, with resources in French, English and Chinese. Source

Addresses

  • Médiathèque de l'Alliance française de Shanghai

    Library

    297 Wusong Lu, Hongkou

    French books, magazines, DVDs and picture books; closed on Mondays. The Alliance, one of three in the consular district, also has centres in Xuhui and Songjiang (website: afshanghai.org).

    Source

  • Shanghai Children's Library

    Library

    962 West Nanjing Road, Jing'an ; 2500 West Guangfu Road, Putuo

    Two sites for children, including the very modern Changfeng library facing the park; open daily 9:00 to 17:00.

    Website Source

  • Pudong Library, espace enfants

    Library

    Lane 3680 Zhangyang Road, Jinqiao, Pudong

    Over 60,000 children's books including English titles, parent-child seats, a baby care room; Jinqiao Road metro (line 6).

    Source

  • Shanghai Library

    Library

    1555 Middle Huaihai Road, Xuhui

    The city's main library, free reading and lending, workshops and exhibitions.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Library East

    Library

    300 Yingchun Road, Pudong

    China's largest single-building library, not far from Century Park, with 22 themed reading spaces.

    Website Source

  • Bibliovores

    Library

    Xujiahui, Xuhui

    A self-service charity bookshop open 24/7: over 5,000 second-hand books in French, English and Chinese for all ages, sold to help disadvantaged children.

    Source

Activities, clubs and outings in French

French-speaking life for children revolves mainly around the Lycée français and Shanghai Accueil, with WeChat as the common thread; theme parks round off the weekends.

Good to know

  • The Lycée français's sports and cultural activities (ASC) offer over 70 activities, from nursery to the final year, in French, English or Chinese, for fun or competition. Source
  • Shanghai Accueil runs family get-togethers all year: snacks, cinema, picnics and games, plus a club for teenagers, SH'Ado. Source
  • Shanghai Disneyland is reached by metro, at the end of line 11, and Legoland Shanghai has opened in Jinshan, in the south-west. Source

Addresses

  • Activités du Lycée français (ASC)

    Activity

    Campus de Qingpu et de Yangpu

    Sport, arts and competitions led by specialist coaches, with termly enrolment.

    Website Source

  • Rendez-vous des familles de Shanghai Accueil

    Activity

    Picnics, snacks and outings to make friends on arrival; registration for members.

    Website Source

  • Cours de français pour enfants de l'Alliance française

    Activity

    297 Wusong Lu, Hongkou

    Workshops and classes for ages 3 to 15 with French-speaking teachers, designed mainly for children learning French (website: afshanghai.org).

    Source

  • Visites guidées de Shanghai Accueil

    Activity

    Walks in French through the former French concession and elsewhere, to discover the city.

    Website Source

  • Shanghai Disneyland

    Activity

    Pudong, terminus de la ligne 11

    Mainland China's Disney park, with Disneytown next door; best planned outside Chinese holidays.

    Website Source

  • Legoland Shanghai Resort

    Activity

    Jinshan

    The Lego park, south-west of the city, which hosted China's first Lego Festival in 2026.

    Source

Through the seasons and festivals

The Chinese calendar sets the city's rhythm: Lunar New Year, the Lantern Festival, dragon boats, the Moon Festival. Bear in mind the two national holiday weeks, when the whole country travels.

Good to know

  • In 2026, the Spring Festival brought nine days off, 15 to 23 February, and National Day seven days, 1 to 7 October: tourist sites are then packed. Source
  • Around Lunar New Year, lantern fairs light up Yuyuan Garden, the Bund and water towns such as Sijing and Nanxiang, until the Lantern Festival. Source
  • In autumn, the plane-tree streets (Wukang, Hengshan, Yuyuan, Sinan) turn golden, and from late November to December it is ginkgo season. Source
  • Summer is hot, humid and brings typhoons: follow weather alerts and the air quality index to plan outings. Source

Addresses

  • Fête des lanternes du jardin Yuyuan

    Activity

    Yuyuan, Huangpu

    The big New Year lantern fair, with parades and shows; the main zone is ticketed, the surrounding streets free.

    Source

  • Festival des cerisiers de Gucun Park

    Park

    4788 Hutai Road, Baoshan

    In March, cherry trees in bloom, lit up in the evening during the festival, and a little pink train.

    Source

  • Rues à platanes de l'ancienne concession

    Park

    Wukang Road, Hengshan Road, Sinan Road

    The quintessential autumn walk, between old houses and golden leaves left on the ground.

    Source

  • Marchés de Noël du Lycée français

    Activity

    Campus de Yangpu (début décembre) et de Qingpu (mi-décembre)

    The school community's December gatherings, listed in the school calendar.

    Website Source

Go further

Getaways under two hours

Water towns, the gardens of Suzhou and Hangzhou's West Lake are easy to reach by car or high-speed train from Hongqiao. Just avoid the national holiday weeks.

Good to know

  • The Yangtze River Delta high-speed network links Shanghai to Wuxi, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Hefei; stations have bilingual counters and a dedicated passport desk. Source
  • On trains, a child under 6 travels free without their own seat; from 6 to 14, they pay half fare. Tickets are bought with each person's passport. Source
  • The Shanghai countryside, from Qingpu to Chongming, offers fruit picking, farms and forest parks for a day in nature without leaving the municipality. Source

Addresses

  • Zhujiajiao

    Qingpu

    The nearest water town, canals, stone bridges and boat rides; close to the Eurocampus.

    Website Source

  • Suzhou et son musée

    Museum

    Suzhou, Jiangsu

    The classical gardens and the Suzhou Museum, a short high-speed train ride away.

    Website Source

  • Hangzhou et le lac de l'Ouest

    Hangzhou, Zhejiang

    West Lake, a stop on the delta's high-speed network, and the National Silk Museum, for a two-day getaway.

    Website Source

  • Sijing et Nanxiang

    Songjiang et Jiading

    Two old towns within the municipality, famous for their New Year lanterns; Nanxiang is famous for its xiaolongbao.

    Source

  • Fengjing

    Jinshan

    An old town in the south-west, to combine with Legoland and Jinshan beach.

    Source

  • Dongtan Wetland Park

    Park

    Chongming

    Wetlands on Chongming Island, with an observation tower and colourful fields in autumn.

    Source

Go further

A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Shanghai will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 International Services Shanghai, musées et sorties
  2. 2 International Services Shanghai, guide du musée de Shanghai
  3. 3 Lycée français de Shanghai, activités ASC
  4. 4 Shanghai Accueil, rendez-vous des familles
  5. 5 International Services Shanghai, fêtes des lanternes
  6. 6 International Services Shanghai, 20 itinéraires de découverte

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