About Oriental Pearl Tower
“Futuristic, dazzling, and unapologetically touristy — a retro-space-age tower that somehow delivers genuine thrills and unexpected cultural depth beneath all the glitz.”
The Oriental Pearl Tower is one of those landmarks that's more fun than you'd expect from a tourist tower. The views from the 263-meter observation deck are genuinely spectacular — the Bund on one side, the Pudong skyline on the other, and the Huangpu River curving between them. The 259-meter transparent glass skywalk is the real thrill: standing on clear glass with traffic far below is stomach-dropping even if you're not afraid of heights. The top sphere (351m Space Capsule) is skippable — it's a small room with limited windows dressed up as a space exhibit. The real hidden gem is the Shanghai Urban History Development Museum at ground level, which multiple reviewers call better than the views: life-size wax figures, recreated old Shanghai streets, and genuine historical artifacts that bring the city's transformation to life. The revolving restaurant at 267 meters is surprisingly good for a tourist venue. Queues are the main frustration — expect to wait for security, elevators, and especially on the way back down, as different lifts serve different levels. Come at night for the best experience; the city lights are spectacular and crowds thin after 7 PM.
Top Questions from Travelers
Why This Place Matters
The Oriental Pearl Tower was completed in 1994 and instantly became the symbol of China's economic reform era — a futuristic exclamation mark planted in what was once farmland across the river from old Shanghai. Its design references the Tang dynasty poem 'Pipa Song' with the line 'large and small pearls falling on a jade plate,' which is why the spheres are called 'pearls.' For Chinese visitors, the tower represents Shanghai's transformation from a treaty port into a global financial capital. The ground-level history museum makes this narrative explicit, tracing the city from fishing village to metropolis. Even the tower's location in Pudong is symbolic — in the 1980s, there was a saying 'better a bed in Puxi than a room in Pudong,' and now Pudong's skyline is among the world's most recognizable.
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Highlights
5 iconic experiences that define a visit
259-Meter Transparent Glass Skywalk
A fully transparent glass corridor where you walk on clear glass 259 meters above the ground, with cars looking like toys below. The entire floor is glass, and bolder visitors lie down for photos. It's genuinely thrilling even for those who aren't usually afraid of heights.
Wear light-colored clothing — dark clothes reflect in the glass and ruin photos. Sunglasses also help with reflections.
Universal Appeal263-Meter Main Observation Deck
Floor-to-ceiling glass walls offering a 360-degree panorama of Shanghai — the Bund's colonial architecture on one side, Pudong's futuristic skyline on...
Universal AppealShanghai Urban History Development Museum (Ground Level)
A surprisingly comprehensive museum recreating old Shanghai with life-size wax figures, period street scenes, an old tram, and genuine artifacts. It c...
Universal Appeal267-Meter Revolving Restaurant
A rotating buffet restaurant that completes one full revolution every 2 hours, offering a meal with continuously changing panoramic views. The food qu...
Culturally Interesting95-Meter VR Roller Coaster
A virtual reality roller coaster experience inside the tower that kids (and many adults) love. It combines motion simulation with VR headsets for a su...
What Most Visitors Miss
The history museum at ground level
Most visitors rush through it on their way out, exhausted from the tower. But reviewers who take their time consistently rate it as the highlight — the recreated old Shanghai scenes are museum-quality and included in the standard ticket.
The 90-meter outdoor observation platform
Sandwiched between the higher observation decks and the ground, many visitors skip it. But it's the only outdoor viewing area — you feel the wind and get unobstructed photos without glass reflections.
The tower's light show viewed from outside
After visiting the inside, walk to the Bund or Binjiang Avenue to see the tower's exterior light shows at 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM, and 9:30 PM. The tower itself is more spectacular from outside than from within.
Plan Your Visit
How Long to Visit
1.5 hours (one observation deck plus glass skywalk — you'll skip the best part, the history museum
2.5-3 hours (observation deck, glass skywalk, history museum, and time to soak in views
all levels, revolving restaurant lunch or dinner, history museum at leisure, VR roller coaster
Smart Route
Arrive around 4:30 PM on a weekday
go directly to the 263-meter main observation deck for sunset views
walk the 259-meter glass skywalk while natural light is still good
take the elevator down to the 90-meter outdoor platform for unobstructed photos
descend to the ground-level history museum and spend a proper 45-60 minutes
exit and walk along Binjiang Avenue to see the tower lit up from outside.
Best Time to Visit
Arrive around 4:00-5:00 PM to catch the transition from daylight city views to the spectacular night skyline
Weekend mornings (10 AM–2 PM) and any Chinese public holiday — queues for security, elevators, and descent can each exceed 30 minutes
By Season
Spring
Summer
evenings offer extended daylight for the sunset-to-night transition. Winter offers the clearest skies for long-distance views but it's cold on the outdoor observation platform.
Autumn
Winter
offers the clearest skies for long-distance views but it's cold on the outdoor observation platform. Rainy or smoggy days significantly reduce visibility — check the weather before buying tickets.
Go on a weekday evening around 6 PM — you catch the sunset transition, the night lights, and far fewer crowds. The light shows on the tower itself happen at 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM, and 9:30 PM, best viewed from the Bund or Binjiang Avenue after your visit.
What to Skip
The 351-meter Space Capsule (top sphere) is consistently described as disappointing — a small room with few windows and a gimmicky space theme, not worth the extra ¥100. The gift shops inside the tower are overpriced — buy souvenirs elsewhere. Don't buy the single-sphere ticket; the two-sphere combo is much better value.
Pro Tips
Buy the combined observation + history museum ticket online for about 30% less than buying separately at the door. The descent elevator queues are the worst part of the visit — time your departure to avoid peak exit times (around 8:30-9:00 PM on weekends). There are free lockers inside the tower for luggage storage, which is convenient if you're traveling with bags.
Photo Spots
Lujiazui Circular Pedestrian Bridge (陆家嘴环岛天桥)
Shoot from below with a wide-angle lens, leaving lots of sky. The curved bridge frames the tower beautifully. Best in the afternoon when light hits the spheres.
The Bund, Chen Yi Square (外滩陈毅广场)
Wait for lights to come on (around 6-6:30 PM). Use portrait mode with the tower's bokeh lights as background. The light shows at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 PM are the best moments.
259-meter Glass Skywalk (inside the tower)
Wear light-colored clothing. Lie flat on the glass for the most dramatic shot. Bring sunglasses to reduce reflections. Morning light gives the clearest glass photos.
Binjiang Avenue Waterfront Promenade (滨江大道)
Low angle looking up to capture the full tower with the river in the foreground. Works best at sunset or blue hour.
Pair With
The Bund (外滩)
15-minute walk through the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, or 5 minutes by metro (Line 2, one stop)
The classic pairing — after seeing the city from the tower, cross the river to the Bund for the best ground-level view of the tower lit up at night. The colonial architecture on the Bund side contrasts perfectly with the futuristic Pudong skyline.
Huangpu River Night Cruise (黄浦江游船)
5-minute walk to the nearby cruise piers
Seeing the illuminated Oriental Pearl Tower from the river is magical — the entire Pudong skyline reflected in the water. Best combined as an evening after your tower visit.
Shanghai Tower Observation Deck
5-minute walk
If you want even higher views, the Shanghai Tower (632m) is right next door. Its 118th-floor observation deck at 546 meters dwarfs the Oriental Pearl. Different experiences — the Pearl has the glass skywalk and museum, the Shanghai Tower has raw altitude.
Tickets & Access
Two-Sphere Observation Ticket (recommended)
Covers 263m observation deck, 259m glass skywalk, 90m outdoor platform, and ground-level history museum
Three-Sphere Combined Ticket
Adds 351m Space Capsule — reviewers say it's skippable
Children (under 6 or 1m–1.3m)
Half price
Seniors 70+ / Disabled
With valid ID — excludes restaurant tickets
Children under 1 meter
Free admission
Revolving Restaurant lunch buffet
267-meter altitude dining with 360° rotation every 2 hours
Revolving Restaurant dinner buffet
Night views included — reservations recommended
Coca-Cola Joyful Restaurant
More casual dining option inside the tower
Opening Hours
Year-round: 09:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30). The revolving restaurant has separate lunch and dinner seatings.
How to Buy
Book via Trip.com (Ctrip), Klook, or the official WeChat mini-program. Online tickets are often bundled at a discount (e.g., observation + history museum combos). Scan your QR code at the entrance. If you want the revolving restaurant dinner — which includes tower access, making it a two-in-one deal — our concierge team can book a table for you and make sure you get a good seating time.
Passport: Yes — foreigners can enter with passport. Booking platforms accept passport numbers.
Queue Situation
Expect multiple queues: ticket/entry security (15-30 min), elevator up (10-20 min), and especially elevator down (20-40 min on busy days, as each level has separate lifts). The descent queues are the worst surprise — multiple reviewers describe this as 'awful' on weekends. Weekday evenings are the smoothest.
Tips & Warnings
The descent is painful — multiple separate elevator queues to get back down
Each observation level has its own elevator, meaning you queue separately for each descent. On busy days, getting down can take 30-40 minutes of pure queuing. Plan your exit strategy and don't wait until closing time when everyone leaves at once.
The glass skywalk glass has aged and can look hazy in some sections
Some reviewers note the glass has deteriorated over the years, making photos look blurry. Find the clearest panels for the best shots. The experience is still thrilling even through slightly aged glass.
Weather dramatically affects the experience
On smoggy or rainy days, visibility from the observation decks drops significantly. Check the weather and air quality before buying tickets — if visibility is poor, save your visit for a clear day. Night visits are less affected by haze.
The tower is loud and crowded inside on weekends
The observation decks are packed on weekends and holidays. If you want a peaceful experience, go on a weekday evening. The glass skywalk in particular becomes a bottleneck with people stopping to lie down for photos.
What to Bring
Wear
Light-colored clothing photographs better on the glass skywalk (dark clothes create reflections). Bring a light jacket for the 90-meter outdoor observation platform, which can be windy. Comfortable shoes for standing and queuing.
Bring
Phone with QR ticket. Camera with good low-light capability for night shots. Portable charger. Sunglasses (reduce glass reflections for photos). Light jacket.
Don't Bring
Tripods (not allowed through security). Large luggage (use the free lockers inside). Food and drinks from outside (there are restaurants at multiple levels).
Physical Reality
easy
Fully elevator-serviced with no mandatory walking between floors. The main effort is standing and queuing. Total walking distance is minimal — perhaps 2-3 km including the museum. Wheelchair accessible throughout the main observation levels.
Foreigners Watch Out
- The Oriental Pearl is genuinely fun but not essential if you're short on time — photographing it from the Bund at night may be more satisfying than being inside it. If you only do one Shanghai tower, weigh this against the taller Shanghai Tower (632m).
- Payment inside is mostly mobile (WeChat/Alipay). Bring cash as a backup for the restaurant and gift shops — not all counters accept foreign cards.
- The underground pedestrian tunnel from the metro station to the tower area is well-signed but long — follow signs for Lujiazui and the Oriental Pearl. It connects to an underground mall if you need to kill time.
- Some staff at the entrance have been described as a bit brusque — don't take it personally, it's the volume of tourists they deal with. Staff at individual attractions inside tend to be friendlier.
- The area around the tower (Lujiazui) is very walkable and connects to the Bund via a pedestrian tunnel under the river or the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (a kitschy light show tunnel, not really worth it). If you'd rather skip the walk and have a taxi waiting for you after your visit, our concierge can arrange a pickup at the tower exit.
If Things Go Wrong
Weather is bad and visibility is poor
→ If you've already bought tickets, the history museum at ground level is excellent regardless of weather. The glass skywalk is also interesting in rain (watching rain on glass 259m up is a unique experience).
Queues are impossibly long
→ If the security/entry queue exceeds 30 minutes, consider coming back later in the evening (after 7 PM, crowds drop significantly). The tower is open until 9 PM.
Phone battery dying (needed for QR ticket and photos)
→ There are charging points in some of the restaurants and rest areas inside the tower. Ask staff: '哪里可以充电？' (nǎlǐ kěyǐ chōngdiàn).
Feeling dizzy or scared on the glass skywalk
→ Hold onto the railings and walk slowly along the edge — you don't have to walk across the center. Many visitors (especially children) who were initially scared ended up enjoying it.
Useful Chinese
Tap to reveal the English meaning