Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is the biggest aquarium in Shanghai and one of the most magnificent and splendid ones in the world with a total area of 20,500 square meters. Located in Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone of Pudong District, it’s adjacent to the famous Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Jinmao Tower. The exhibition space displays the geographical and cultural features of the countries of origin of fish in different regions with decorations, themes, patterns and acoustics. Since its opening in February 2002, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium has received more than 1 million visitors every year from within China and all over the world.
Shanghai ocean aquarium is a large modern marine aquarium with international first-class standards. It has a unique architectural appearance. More than 450 species, 12,000 rare fish and endangered species from five continents and four oceans are on display. The aquarium also has one of the world's longest undersea tunnels, 155 meters long, to give visitors a sense of immersion.
Facts
- In Chinese: 上海海洋水族馆
- Address: No.1388 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
- Opening time: 09:00 – 21:00 (last entry at 20:30; from July 1 to August 31); 09:00 – 18:00 (last entry at 17:30; for the rest of a year)
- Best time to visit: avoid summer and winter holidays
- Ticket price: RMB160 (for adult), RMB110 (for Children between 1 and 1.4 meters); free for children under 1 meter and the olds over 60 years old
What to See?
The layout of the building is like a pyramid. The whole building consists of two buildings, the main building aquarium and the auxiliary building. The Marine aquarium has three floors. There is ticket office, souvenir shop and a restaurant on the first floor. After entering the aquarium, take the elevator to the third floor, and then visit from top to bottom.
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium consists of a main building and an annex composing of 9 exhibition zones of all over the world, including China Zone, South America Zone, Australia Zone, Africa Zone, Southeast Asia Zone, Coldwater Zone, Antarctic Zone, Sea and Shore Zone and Ocean Zone. Gathering from 5 continents and 4 oceans, there are more than 450 species of aquatic animals. Each zone in the aquarium is specially designed to recreate the most natural surroundings for our aquatic animals, and also to enable our visitors to experience and admire the uniqueness of every region around the world.
On the third floor is the exhibition of fossils, bionic exhibition of aquatic life survival competition, SOS save shark exhibition, exhibition area of rare aquatic life in the Yangtze River basin, China exhibition area, South America exhibition area, Australia exhibition area. After visiting the third floor, visitors go down the escalator to the second floor.
The second floor are six exhibition areas including Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, cold water, polar, coastal. After visiting the second floor, visitors can take the escalator directly to the second floor underground. It’s the main hall of the ocean aquarium, Deep Sea Area. Visitors enter a walking tunnel and complete the journey through the 650 cubic meter waterscape display tank and subsea tunnel before returning to the first floor souvenir center and restaurant via the tunnel exit.
The design concept of SOA is to bring our visitors along an underwater journey that starts from China and continues throughout the major continents and regions of the world. Currently, this is the only aquarium in the world to have a China Zone. This zone specializes in exhibiting aquatic organisms and ecology of the Yangtze valley as well as some endangered aquatic species in China. The Africa, Southeast Asia, Cold Water and Polar Zones and the Sea and Shore exhibit is located in second floor. There are 7 exhibition areas, the VIP hall, science education room and a waterfall in the third floor. It offers a series of educational activities for the ages between 13-18 year old teenagers, to learn the knowledge of the world’s rivers and oceans.
The basement is the main part of the aquarium where Deep Ocean Zone is located. The submarine viewing tunnel enables visitors to have a wonderful tour here. The routine of the underwater journey includes a 155-meter long underwater tunnel, currently the longest underwater tunnel in the world, starting from the Yangtze River Zone and ending in the Antarctic Zone. Its state-of-the-art facilities boast more than 10,000 sea creatures from all continents: sharks, jellyfish, turtles, lionfish, sea otters, Yangzi sturgeon, and more.
Feeding Time
Species of the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium have a set meal time, and divers will present the moments to visitors at different times. Visitors are welcome to experience these extraordinary moments.
Display Zone Morning Afternoon
Spot seal (cold water area) 09:45 – 09:55 14:15 – 14:25
Penguins (polar region) 10:00 – 10:15 14:30 – 14:45
Open Ocean 10:30 – 10:45 15:00 – 15:15
Schools of Fish Area 10:50 – 11:00 15:20 – 15:30
Shark Bay 11:50 – 11:10 15:20 – 15:40
Recommend 5-day Shanghai Family Tour visiting Shanghai Ocean Aquarium.
How to Get There?
Other than visiting Shanghai Ocean Aquarium by taxi, you can get there by Bus 81, 82, 85,583, 774, 795, 798, 799, 870, 961, 971, 985, 992 or 993.
You can also take subway; Metro Line 2 will run to Lujiazui Station, walking for 200 meters can reach the destination.
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