It's a tourist site, but a bit like Fisherman's Wharf or Independence Hall, you have to check it off your list. At the time of writing, it's the second tallest building in the world so it felt like it was not to be missed. It's easy to get here on the metro and to walk around the downtown area, although it is absolutely devoid of any character (just hotels, office buildings, and anodyne shopping malls). The tower exhibit itself is well designed with lots of information and visuals of other tall and ultratall towers in the world. The observation decks are pretty impressive and the views were good, even on a smoggy winter day. The Pearl Tower looks so tall from the ground, but at the top of the Shanghai Tower, it's way down there! They have some great postcards available in the store, including stamps, and a mailbox (surprisingly rare and hard to find on the streets in Shanghai).