Shanghai abounds in antiques because of its importance as the largest city in the most populous Oriental country. When tourists come to Shanghai, they often want something old or ancient from this very unique part of the world. Following is a list of Shanghai's best-known flea markets and antique stores:

Chuangxin Antique Store: Located at the junction of Huaihai Road and Changshu Road, it used to be called Jinmen (Golden Gate) and was quite famous in the 1950s. It sells quality leather goods, clocks and watches, and ornaments.

Dongtai Antique Market: Here, there are about 200 stalls, all operated by private traders. The stalls are open all day and sell antique ceramic, stone, padauk, and gold ornaments. They also sell flowers, birds, fish, and insects such as crickets. Staff from Shanghai's foreign embassies are known to frequent this market. Owners of Shanghai's largest antique stores also visit this market to augment their stock.

Fuyou Road: Every Sunday morning, the Kua Ji Road Flea Market attracts crowds of amateur collectors on the lookout for a wide variety of objects such as paintings, calligraphic art, pottery, and all sorts of curios. Auction sales are held at Shanghai's two newly reopened auction houses, but better bargains may well be found in the street market, where bargaining for the best price is the order of the day.

Huabao Building Basement Market: Located in Shanghai's old town, this is now the largest indoor antique market in Shanghai.

Shanghai Antiques & Curios Store (No.194-226 Guangdong Road), Antiques & Curios Branch of Shanghai Friendship Store (No.694 Nanjing West Road), and Antique Section of Friendship Store (F/5 40 Beiling East Road): These three stores are the oldest antique shops in Shanghai. They offer the best and the most complete range of antiques in the city. Unlike the flea markets, they cater mainly to overseas visitors and only accept FEC [what does FEC stand for?].

Shanxi Antique Store: Located at the junction of Shanxi West Road and Yan'an Road, this store caters mainly to foreign customers and sells porcelain ornaments, antique clocks and watches, and artifacts.

Weixin Antique Store: Located at Jinling East Road, this store is Shanghai's largest shop selling antique clocks and watches from China as well as timepieces of foreign manufacture. Most of the best articles were once owned by the wealthy people in the earlier days of modern Shanghai.

Xiangshen Store: Located at 73 Shaanxi South Road, the store sells antique clocks and watches as well as cameras.

Xinguang Optical Instrument Store: Located at the junction of Huaihai Middle Road and Yandang Road, this old shop (formerly called Wanjing) is in fact the city's most famous shop specializing in both new and old optical instruments as well as second-hand instruments. Its staff includes some of the very few people in Shanghai who can repair old cameras. It sold only modern products for a while after changing its name to the present Xinguang, but recently resumed dealing in old and antique optical instruments.

Zhonghua Xin Road: Here, there are all private traders with no fixed stalls. They are open all day and sell antiques, hardware, electrical appliances, bicycle parts, etc. Although it is the largest market in Shanghai, it handles primarily everyday items. However, there is the possibility that something special may be found among the bric-a-brac.

Other famous stores are:
Flowers & Birds Store
Zhang Xiao Quan Cullery Store
Lao Feng Xiang Goldware Shop
Duo Yun Xuan Studio
Shao Wan Sheng Native Delicacies Store
Hen Da Li Clocks & Watches Store