Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (上海海洋水族馆)
Attraction · Pudong New Area · Shanghai. Lujiazui aquarium with a 155 m underwater tunnel and a China-only freshwater zone.
Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/shanghai-ocean-aquarium · Data checked 2026-10-02 · Rendered for 2026-10-03 (Asia/Shanghai). Facts carry their status; "not found yet" means we searched and found no reliable source.
Notices in effect
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: motor vehicles cannot enter roads inside the riverside zone bounded by Lujiazui Ring Road. The Ring Road itself is excluded; the aquarium fronts No. 1388 on that boundary, though on-site controls may affect drop-off.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: bicycles and e-bikes cannot use Binjiang Avenue between Dongyuan Road and Lujiazui West Road.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: drivers through the Yan'an East Road Tunnel can only use the specified Fujian Road ramps to or from the Yan'an Elevated Road; expect taxi detours.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 16:00 to service end, Lines 2 and 10 East Nanjing Road station entrances close.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 16:00 to service end, do not plan to use Line 14 Yuyuan Garden station. Line 10 Yuyuan Garden station remains open.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 12:00 through the 18:30 final ferry time, the Dongjin ferry (东金线, Dongchang Road–Jinling Road East) is suspended. Do not expect it to resume later that evening.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: 16:00–21:30: the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is closed.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: Crowd control may restrict or divert entry at Lujiazui station during busy periods.
Why go
Next to the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (上海海洋水族馆) takes you through nine zones, from Chinese rivers to the deep ocean, ending in a 155 m tunnel where sharks and rays swim overhead. Its China zone shows rare native species such as the Chinese sturgeon and Chinese alligator. It is a solid indoor choice for families or a rainy day in Lujiazui.
What to do
- Walk the 155 m shark tunnel. On B2, the Deep Ocean zone (深海区) leads into a 155 m underwater tunnel past Shark Bay (鲨鱼海湾) and the 'Silver Cyclone' of schooling fish that circle the divers at feeding time.
- Meet rare Chinese species. The China zone (中国区) displays mostly protected native animals: Chinese sturgeon (中华鲟), Chinese alligator (扬子鳄), the giant salamander (大鲵) and the Chinese sucker (胭脂鱼).
- Time a feeding session. Five tanks have fixed feeding times: spotted seals on 2F at 09:45 and 14:15, penguins on 2F at 10:00 and 14:30, and the B2 deep-ocean tanks around 10:50 and 15:20.
- Touch a small shark. In the Ocean Classroom (海洋教室) touch pool you can touch small sharks and starfish under staff guidance, open 09:00–16:00 (to 18:00 in July–August).
- Don't miss: The underwater lift in the Australia zone (澳洲区水下电梯), one of the aquarium's own listed photo spots.
- Best time: Weekday morning; plan around 10:50 feeding
- Skip if: Skip it if you have visited large aquariums elsewhere and are short of time in Shanghai; there are no animal shows.
Practical details
- Hours: 09:00–18:00 daily · last entry 17:30
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 09:00–18:00, last entry 17:30
- Summer (July–August) (07-01 to 08-31), Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 09:00–21:00, last entry 20:30
- Mid-Autumn (25–26 Sep 2026) ran to 21:00; normal hours resumed 27 Sep. No National Day change was announced.
- Typhoons or heavy rain may change hours; notices go on the website and WeChat account.
- Admission: Ticketed · ¥160 adult · ¥110 child
- Adult: ¥160 (Any day)
- Child (1.0–1.4 m, or under 10): ¥110 (Any day)
- Senior (60+): ¥90 (Any day)
- Military, disabled, retired cadres: ¥70 (Any day)
- Concession: Seniors 60+ ¥90 (ID card or senior card)
- Concession: Active military, people with disabilities, retired cadres ¥70 (Own certificate)
- Free: Children under 1.0 m or under 4
- Buying online at least one day ahead saves ¥5 per ticket.
- Valid only on the date bought; single entry, no re-entry after you leave.
- Booking: No booking needed; buy online or at gate
- Official online ticketing (上海海洋水族馆官网购票) — https://www.sh-aquarium.com/Ticket/index.aspx
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium official account (上海海洋水族馆) — WeChat → search 上海海洋水族馆 → 购票
- Aquarium ticket windows (现场售票处)
- Passport accepted: unknown — Official pages do not say whether tickets are real-name or how passports are handled.
- Online orders can be refunded before 17:00 on the visit day; no date changes.
- The website checkout shows WeChat QR and UnionPay online payment.
- Last admission: 17:30
- Time to allow: 1.5–2 hr
- Getting there: Line 2/14 · Lujiazui · Exit 2 · 5 min
- Metro Line 2/14 to Lujiazui (陆家嘴), Exit 2, about 5 min walk
- Show a taxi driver: 请送我到浦东陆家嘴环路1388号 上海海洋水族馆（东方明珠旁）
- Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
- About 300 m on foot from Lujiazui Exit 2.
- Address: 1388 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong New Area (陆家嘴环路1388号).
- Foreign visitors: Free Wi-Fi needs a mainland phone number
Not found yet
- booking.passport.accepted: 官网中英文 FAQ 均未写是否实名、护照能否购票；网上购票只见微信扫码与银联。 (searched: official, WebSearch, Reddit/pullpush)
Traveler tips
- See it all on one pass. The aquarium is a one-way route: you start at the China zone and finish in the B2 deep-ocean tunnel, and you cannot walk back to an earlier zone. Your ticket is single-entry, so once you leave the building you cannot return the same day. Allow 1.5–2 hours and take photos as you go rather than planning to come back. (2 travelers) source
- Reach B2 by 10:50 for feeding. The biggest feeding moment is the B2 Deep Ocean zone: Shark Bay 10:50–11:10 and the 'Silver Cyclone' fish school 10:50–11:00, repeated at 15:20. Upstairs, the 2F spotted seals are fed at 09:45 and 14:15, and the penguins at 10:00 and 14:30. Because the route is one-way, enter around 09:30 to see the seals and penguins first and still reach B2 for the 10:50 session. Expect an aquarium feeding display rather than a stage show, and check the day's feeding board when you arrive. Caveat: The published feeding times can change at short notice for the animals' sake, and the 09:30 entry plan is editorial. One July 2025 visitor described seeing the penguin feeding; a second visitor described the tank-focused visit, but that post does not describe witnessing the feeding. (2 travelers) source
- Buy a day ahead; check child rules. Adult tickets are ¥160 and child tickets ¥110 at the gate; the child price covers children 1.0–1.4 m tall or under 10, and children under 1.0 m or under 4 go free. Buying on the official website or WeChat account at least one day before saves ¥5 per person, and for public holidays the aquarium suggests booking 1–3 days ahead. Unused online tickets can be refunded until 17:00 on the day, but dates cannot be changed. Caveat: Whether a foreign passport is accepted as proof for senior tickets is not stated. source
- Store bags free; borrow a stroller. Small bags go in free self-service lobby lockers opened by scanning a code with WeChat; suitcases can be left at the lobby visitor centre on showing that day's ticket, and all belongings must be collected half an hour before closing (17:30 on an ordinary 18:00 closing day). Strollers and wheelchairs are lent free at the lobby against a cash deposit (¥600 stroller, ¥800 wheelchair), refunded on return, and the galleries have lifts and a baby room on 2F. Caveat: Without WeChat, use the staffed visitor centre desk. The facilities page also lists an ID card or driving licence as deposit; the FAQ says cash. source
- Don't count on the free Wi-Fi. The aquarium's free Wi-Fi (2 hours per session) does not work with phone numbers from non-mainland carriers. Have mobile data or an eSIM ready if you need maps or translation inside, especially on B1 and B2. Caveat: The official facilities page states the two-hour session and mainland-number restriction, but does not explain the verification mechanism. source
- Turn off your flash. Photos are allowed everywhere, but flash is banned because it stresses the animals. The aquarium also asks you not to bring selfie sticks, food or drinks (baby food is fine). Its own list of photo spots: the koi in the China zone, the underwater lift in the Australia zone, the seals, the jellyfish and the Silver Cyclone in the tunnel. source
- National Day: allow extra time around Lujiazui. From 1 to 7 October 2026, the riverside streets inside Lujiazui Ring Road close to cars from 16:30 to 23:30. The Ring Road itself is outside this motor-vehicle ban beside the aquarium at No. 1388; check on-site drop-off controls, or walk about five minutes from Lujiazui station Exit 2. If crossing the river, check the separate ferry, sightseeing tunnel and metro closures in the updates. Caveat: The police notice excludes the Ring Road boundary; police may change the precise drop-off point and traffic controls on site. source
- Find the 3F touch pool and a lift. At Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (上海海洋水族馆), the touch pool is on 3F. If you need a lift, ask staff before you follow the one-way route down; the direct lifts can be easy to miss. After the visit, Super Brand Mall (正大广场) across the road has places to eat. Caveat: The 3F touch-pool location, the lift-finding experience and the food suggestion come from one September 2025 visitor. The official facilities listing independently covers lifts and the 2F baby room. source
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal Government
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
- Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
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