Shanghai
Oriental Pearl Tower
The Oriental Pearl Tower (Dongfang Mingzhu) is the icon of Shanghai's Pudong skyline. Completed in 1994, this 468-metre radio and TV tower was for years the tallest structure in China, and its cluster of pink-tinted spheres strung along a tripod of concrete columns remains the single most photographed building on the Bund waterfront. Standing in Lujiazui, the heart of Shanghai's financial district, it is the natural first stop for understanding how a fishing-village riverbank became a forest of skyscrapers in a single generation.
Close-up of the Oriental Pearl Tower's sphere
What to see
Visitors ride high-speed lifts up through the structure to a series of observation levels set inside the spheres. The Sightseeing Floor at 263 metres has a glass-bottomed skywalk where you can stand on a transparent floor and look straight down to the river and traffic below — not for the faint-hearted. Higher up, the Space Module at 350 metres gives the loftiest 360-degree panorama, while the lower sphere holds a revolving restaurant. At the tower's base, the excellent Shanghai History Museum traces old Shanghai with life-sized street scenes, vintage trams and shop-front dioramas, and is included with most combination tickets.
Night view of the Shanghai skyline with the tower
Opening hours
The tower is generally open daily from about 08:30 to 21:30, with last entry around 20:30. Evening visits reward you with the city lights, but queues for the lifts are longest at sunset.
Tickets
Tickets are tiered by how high you go. A two-sphere ticket is roughly ¥160–199, and combined tickets that add the Space Module and Shanghai History Museum run higher. Children under 1m enter free. Prices and packages change, so book ahead through the official channel or a reputable app and reserve a timed slot in peak season.
Getting there
Take Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui station (exit 1); the tower is a short signposted walk. From the Bund across the river, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel or a ferry makes a fun approach with skyline views the whole way.
The illuminated tower at dusk over the river
Best time to visit
Clear days after rain give the sharpest views; spring and autumn are most comfortable. Arrive late afternoon to catch both daylight and the city lighting up at dusk, and avoid Chinese public holidays when waits can exceed an hour.
Highlights
- 263m glass-floor Sightseeing Floor where you walk on a transparent deck above the river
- 350m Space Module — the tower's highest 360-degree viewing platform
- Eleven illuminated spheres that define the Lujiazui night skyline
- Shanghai History Museum at the base, included with most combo tickets
- Revolving restaurant with panoramic Huangpu River dining
Travel Tips
Beat the queues
Buy a timed ticket online in advance and arrive late afternoon; lift lines peak sharply around sunset.
Best photo angle
Photograph the tower itself from the Bund across the river — from inside you see the view, not the landmark.
Combine the museum
The included Shanghai History Museum at the base is genuinely good; allow an extra hour for it.
