Former Site of the Xujiahui Observatory (Shanghai Meteorological Museum)

Former Site of the Xujiahui Observatory (Shanghai Meteorological Museum)

The former site of the Xujiahui Observatory (Shanghai Meteorological Museum) is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

The former site of the Xujiahui Observatory (Shanghai Meteorological Museum) was first built in July 1872 by the Catholic Jesuits. Meteorological observations began on December 1 of that year, making it China’s first coastal observatory and earning it the title “No. 1 Meteorological Observatory in the Far East.” For over 100 years, it has conducted uninterrupted meteorological observations of Shanghai.

The existing observatory was completed in 1900. It is a three-story building in the Romanesque architectural style, featuring plain brick walls, red-brick window frames, arched windows, and balustrades shaped like vases. In the center stands a brick-and-wood wind-measuring tower, 40 meters tall, equipped with a Beckley anemometer and wind vane. The Xujiahui Observatory was designated as a standard timekeeping station by the International Astronomical Association. It participated twice in the International Longitude Survey—in 1926 and 1933—joining Paris and San Francisco as one of the world’s three major measurement reference points.

In 2005, it was listed as an Outstanding Historical Building by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. In 2014, as part of the Xujiahui Catholic Historic Architecture Complex, it was designated as a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

Address: No. 166 Pu’xi Road

Website: http://www.smb.gov.cn/index.html

Opening Hours: 10:00 and 14:00 on Saturdays

Reservation Required: Follow the “Shanghai Meteorological Museum” WeChat account to book online; for details, visit the Xujiahui Source Tourist Center in person.