Shanghai Jewish Refugees tour: Hongkou district & museum

A Jewish financier built the Peace Hotel. Thousands of refugees lived blocks away in the Hongkou district during World War II.

This private 3-hour tour traces Jewish immigration to Shanghai through the Hongkou district, where refugees settled during World War II. You start at the Bund, walk past the Former HSBC building and the Peace Hotel (an Art Deco landmark built by Jewish financier Victor Sassoon), then move into Hongkou to visit the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum (the former Ohel Moishe Synagogue), a memorial in Huoshan Park, and the back lanes where refugees lived. Hotel pickup is included. Your guide speaks English or Chinese.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. The Bund30m
2. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum1h 30m · entry included

Explore Jewish heritage in Shanghai

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Walk along the Bund riverfront
• See Former HSBC and Peace Hotel
• Visit Hongkou district (Shanghai Ghetto)
• Tour Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
• See monument in Huoshan Park
• Explore back lanes and Chinese home
• Get taxi or public transport back

The experience

What happened to Shanghai's Jewish community during the war, and where do you actually stand to learn it? The tour opens at the Bund, Shanghai's historic riverfront, where your guide points out the Former HSBC building and the Peace Hotel: the Art Deco masterpiece Victor Sassoon built before the war changed everything. From there you move into the Hongkou district, the neighborhood where thousands of Jewish refugees crowded into tight quarters, and the guide walks you through the back lanes to a Chinese home where refugees actually lived, showing how they adapted to a city that had taken them in.

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum occupies the former Ohel Moishe Synagogue, where the collection includes documents, photographs, films and personal items from daily life during those years. You also visit a memorial plaque in Huoshan Park, a gathering place where refugees gathered for religious activities despite the threat of imprisonment. The guide shares the stories behind these sites (the people, the decisions, the resilience) rather than rushing through a list of names and dates.

The tour runs three hours total. Hotel pickup is included for locations in Shanghai city. At the end, your guide will help you find a taxi or public transport back to your hotel (the fare is on your own). The guide speaks English or Chinese, and the pace suits all fitness levels, though the walk through Hongkou and the museum visit involve standing and moving through indoor spaces.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Shanghai city.
• private guide service in English or Chinese.
• entrance tickets to the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and access to Huoshan Park.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 10:00 and 13:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Shanghai Advisor Tour

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a walking pace through the Hongkou district and the museum, so you'll spend three hours on your feet. This suits anyone interested in the history and willing to explore the neighborhood on foot rather than from a vehicle.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, and what will I see inside?

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is housed in the former Ohel Moishe Synagogue in the Hongkou district. The collection displays documents, photographs, films and personal items that show how refugees lived day-to-day during World War II, when thousands of them settled in Shanghai.

Does the tour include the Bund, and what is there to see?

Yes, the tour starts at the Bund, Shanghai's historic riverfront. You'll walk past the Former HSBC building, a six-floor neo-classical structure, and the Peace Hotel, an Art Deco masterpiece built by Jewish financier Victor Sassoon before the war.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The tour includes a stroll along the Bund, a walk through the back lanes of the Hongkou district, and time inside the museum and at the memorial in Huoshan Park. The pace suits all fitness levels, though you'll be on your feet and moving through indoor spaces for the full three hours.

Is hotel pickup included, and how do I get back to my hotel at the end?

Hotel pickup is included for hotels in Shanghai city. At the end of the tour, your guide will help you find a taxi or public transport back to your hotel. The fare is your own cost.