Once the site of the 2010 World Expo, this massive park has been reborn into one of Shanghai’s most exciting new destinations. Expo Cultural Park offers a unique mix of lakeside walks, botanical gardens, ancient opera houses, and wide-open lawns—perfect for relaxing or exploring with family and friends. Whether you're into nature, culture, or just need a beautiful space to stretch your legs, this park has something for you.
Step into a 200-hectare green sanctuary where futuristic glass domes bloom with tropical wonders, ancient Jiangnan gardens whisper dynastic secrets, and man-made mountains frame the Huangpu’s skyline—a living canvas of Shanghai’s past and future.
🏞️ Must-See Attractions: Nature’s Masterpieces
Twin Mountains (双子山)
Why iconic : China’s first 40m+ hollow-structured artificial mountains (48m/37m peaks). Summit the Cloud View Platform to capture the Eleven-Arch Bridge reflecting in Center Lake, with Lupu Bridge’s crimson curves as backdrop.
Secret passage : Enter via West Cave Tunnel (near P4 parking) to discover a waterfall-lit grotto with fossilized steel relics from the 2010 Expo.
Free access: Open 6:00-22:00, no ticket needed.
Shanghai Greenhouse Garden (上海温室花园)
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Asia’s largest greenhouse (22,000㎡) with three surreal biomes:
Mirage Dunes : Spot 10m-tall "Monkey Bread Trees" and venomous Antiaris toxicaria (Blood-Sealer Tree).
Cloud Forest : Walk through transparent "Lake Bottom Tunnel" with koi swimming overhead.
Misty Canyon : China’s largest submerged plant tank (12m long)—search for electric-blue discus fish.
Tech magic : Wave to activate "Butterfly Swarm" AR effects; touch screens show real-time root growth.
Shanghai Garden (申园)
Jiangnan elegance : 5 hectares of Ming-style pavilions, lotus ponds, and moon gates. Don’t miss Autumn River at Dusk —a pavilion where sunset paints gold ripples on water.
Night spectacle : "Full Courtyard Fragrance" light show (¥75-150) projects poetry onto mist screens.
World Flower Garden (世界花艺园)
Thematic zones : Zen Rock Garden’s raked gravel patterns, Bamboo Maze’s whispering stalks, and Rose Terraces with 200+ heirloom varieties.
Hidden gem : "Perfume Studio" lets you distill custom floral scents (¥88, book via WeChat).
🚉 Transport & Entry Hacks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | Pudong, between Lupu Bridge & Huangpu River |
| Metro | Line 13 → Expo Avenue Station Exit 4 (5-min walk to East Gate) |
| Bus | 1118/Pudong 98 to "Expo Avenue Changqing Rd" |
| Parking | P2/P3 lots (¥40/7hrs; must book via "上海世博文化公园" WeChat mini-program) |
| Opening Hours | Park: 24/7 • Greenhouse: 9:00-17:00 (Mon closed) • Shanghai Garden: 8:00-17:00 |
| Tickets | Park: FREE • Greenhouse: ¥98 (weekdays)/¥128 (weekends) • Shanghai Garden: ¥30 • Book all via mini-program (passport accepted) |
| Language Aid | English audio guides (¥50 deposit) at East Gate; staff speak basic English. |
🍽️ Foodie Oases: From Cloud Cafés to Expo Bistros
Inside the Park
Jingle Jungle Café (Greenhouse) : "Cactus Lime Soda" with edible flowers (¥45) beside butterfly enclosures.
M Stand (Twin Mountains Peak) : Sip lavender cold brew (¥38) on a terrace overlooking Lupu Bridge.
Jiangnan Xiaoyan (ex-Luxembourg Pavilion) : Braised "Lion’s Head" meatballs (¥88) in a glass-roofed garden.
Nearby (10-min walk)
Frontage Taikoo Li Mall : Canton Table ’s truffle har gow (¥68) + % Arabica ’s matcha soft-serve.
Expo Food Street : Grab xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Steamed Bun (¥22/6 pcs) before riverfront strolling.
⚡ Insider’s Survival Kit
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Beat Crowds :
Enter at 7:30 AM →直奔 Twin Mountains summit for fog-shrouded city views.
Visit Greenhouse on Wed/Thu afternoons —AR stations 80% empty.
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Free Magic :
Jazz Nights at Music Forest (Fri 7-9 PM): Local quartets play under bamboo canopies.
Stamp Quest : Collect free vintage garden seals at 6 pavilions (bring blank notebook!).
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Photo Secrets :
Greenhouse’s "Misty Canyon" : 4 PM sunbeams create rainbows through prism glass.
Eleven-Arch Bridge : Low-angle shots at dusk capture Lupu Bridge’s red reflection in all arches.
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Avoid :
Weekends at Shanghai Garden—tour groups clog moon gates.
Cash payments (90% vendors accept Visa/Alipay TourCard).
This park is where Shanghai’s soul breathes deepest—where steel roots from Expo’s past nourish tropical blooms, where Jiangnan poets’ dreams materialize in moonlit pavilions. As you descend Twin Mountains at sunset, tracing the Huangpu’s golden ribbon, remember: cities may rise, but here, nature writes the eternal story.
Once the site of the 2010 World Expo, this massive park has been reborn into one of Shanghai’s most exciting new destinations. Expo Cultural Park offers a unique mix of lakeside walks, botanical gardens, ancient opera houses, and wide-open lawns—perfect for relaxing or exploring with family and friends. Whether you're into nature, culture, or just need a beautiful space to stretch your legs, this park has something for you.