Minhang is far. But two new museums, in addition to the contemporary Powerlong Museum, are helping to make the district a cultural destination: the Minhang Museum and the Haipai Art Museum. And they are both freeeeeeeee. Get out of the downtown bubble and consume some culture!

The original Minhang Museum closed in 2011. This new one opened January 18 with a permanent display of traditional Chinese musical instruments (an 800+-year-old guqin!) and a temporary exhibition of Austria Schloss Schwarzenau Silverware. It's a weird pairing. But the quality of the exhibits is excellent. Multimedia interactions installations, as well as English translations, are provided. The second floor, under construction, will be dedicated to Shanghai’s long history (it started before the British, don’t you know). It will open in June. The Haipai Art Museum is more a public art museum, with a performance hall and workshop areas, and the exhibitions focus on Haipai style painting — defined by the mix of Western and Chinese influences, which is the basis of the term haipai. It feels more like a free art space for local kids and seniors, with a packed schedule of performances, talks, and classes. Right now, the main exhibition is about Feng Zikai, "the father of Chinese cartoons", and dozens of paintings from iconic Haipai masters like Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong, until February 20. If Shanghai’s mixed, international background, expressed through painting, turns you on, you might have a trip to Minhang in your future. Both museums are easy to get to (a 10-minute walk) from Line 10’s Hangzhong Lu station.