Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (上海科技馆, Shànghǎi Kējìguǎn) at 2000 Century Avenue in Pudong is a large science museum. It has themed exhibitions on the Earth, robots, information technology and space, a children’s land, and four cinemas. Hours differ between the two Wikipedia versions and no official page was readable, so check the museum’s own site or booking channel before going.

The first phase opened to the public on 18 December 2001, and the second phase followed in May 2005, according to English Wikipedia. Chinese Wikipedia credits the design to the American firm RTKL with the Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research. English Wikipedia says instead that the original design was managed by Shanghai-based Creative Star Digital. The sources therefore disagree, and this page does not name an architect.

The building is described in English Wikipedia as an ascending spiral rising from one to five floors, with a large glass sphere at its centre, meant to stand for the rise of life from water. The grounds cover about 68,000 square metres, and the total floor space is about 98,000 square metres. English Wikipedia counts 65,500 square metres of that as exhibition space.

Exhibitions are spread over several floors. Chinese Wikipedia lists, among others, Earth Exploration (地壳探密), Designers’ Cradle, Rainbow Children’s Land, the Light of Wisdom, Animal World, Home on Earth, World of Robots, the Information Age, a spiders exhibition, the Light of Exploration, Human and Health and Space Navigation. The same page says the Spectrum of Life exhibition was due to be replaced by a rainforest exhibition from 1 April 2026, so the list may have changed since. English Wikipedia counts thirteen main permanent exhibitions; the Chinese list is not numbered consistently, so the exact count is uncertain.

The four cinemas include an IMAX 3D theatre, a dome theatre and a space theatre; the two Wikipedia versions name the fourth differently. Chinese Wikipedia gives hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 17:15, with 8:45 to 18:30 on public holidays. English Wikipedia says 9:00 to 17:15 and closed on Mondays except holidays. The two agree on the main pattern, but neither is official.

Across Century Avenue stand Shanghai Museum East and the Oriental Art Center, which Chinese Wikipedia names as neighbours of the East museum. Show the Chinese address on this page to a taxi driver.