Shanghai Natural History Museum

The Shanghai Natural History Museum is located in Jing'an Sculpture Park. Its spiraling green roof resembles a "green conch" from afar, making it a highly recognizable science venue in downtown Shanghai. The museum displays over 10,000 specimens and models from seven continents, featuring ten permanent exhibition areas such as "Mystery of origins," "River of life," and "Path of evolution," categorized under three themes: "Natural evolution," "Life environment," and "Human civilization." Among them, the approx. 26 m-long skeleton of a Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum is particularly striking.

The museum has five floors in total, with two above ground and three underground. The standard route starts from the second floor and proceeds downward, and a thorough visit takes approx. half a day to a full day, so it's advisable to plan your energy accordingly. The "Mystery of origins" exhibit on the second floor traces humanity's exploration of the universe, displaying models of astronomical telescopes from different eras, including those by Galileo and Newton. A theater in one corner screens short films about the cosmos and meteorites. Descending to the first floor, the "River of life" features a sunken corridor lined with specimens of primates, birds, tigers, polar bears, and other animals, while the massive skeleton of a Mamenchisaurus stretches overhead. The adjacent "Experience nature" is a live exhibit where visitors can observe small animals like butterflies and lizards through display cases, and even touch marine creatures such as starfish in the seawater touch pool—a truly unique experience.

The "Path of evolution" exhibit on the basement level connects the evolutionary thread from the Cambrian explosion to the emergence of humans through fossils like trilobites, ammonites, and psittacosaurus, featuring a roaring, moving T. rex model. Using the museum's AR app on the Lufengosaurus skeleton brings 3D dinosaurs to life on screen—a must-see for dinosaur enthusiasts. The second basement level houses multiple exhibition zones including "Survival wisdom," "Earth's treasures," "Diverse life," and "Ecological panorama." The latter recreates an African savanna across thousands of square meters, with specimens of giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and lion prides frozen in migratory and hunting moments, evoking scenes from nature documentaries. Visitors often pause for photos before the "Butterfly wing paintings" made from thousands of wings in the "Diverse life" section. The popular exploration center offers hands-on fossil digging (requires on-site booking with limited slots), so family-friendly visits should plan early.

Before leaving the museum, don't forget to visit the souvenir shop. The animal-shaped dolls and amber-encased insects are adorable cultural and creative items, perfect for commemorating this nature-filled journey.