1995 TV tower whose magenta spheres became Shanghai’s first global skyline icon.
At a glance
- What it is
- Landmark
- Also known as
- 东方明珠塔 (Dōng Fāng Míng Zhū Tǎ)
- Opening hours
- 8 AM – 9:30 PM
- Time needed
- 1-2 hours
- Best time to visit
- Evening for the lit-up exterior
- Getting there
- Metro to the door
- English
- Full English menu
- Cards accepted
- Visa, Mastercard
- Entry
- Passport booking recommended · tickets & prices →
- Wi-Fi
- Free Wi-Fi
- Address
- 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai · 浦东新区世纪大道1号
See Oriental Pearl Tower tickets & tours
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Oriental Pearl Tower map & getting there
Taxi / DiDi? Show the driver: 浦东新区世纪大道1号 · 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
Oriental Pearl Tower is Shanghai’s most photographed skyline icon — the 468-meter pink-sphere broadcast tower that announced Pudong’s reinvention when it opened in 1995. It held the title of Asia’s tallest building from 1994 to 2007. Three observation decks reward the climb: the Lower Sphere (90m) holds the surprisingly substantive Shanghai History Museum (1860s–1949 Shanghai life, included in the combo ticket); the Middle Sphere (263m) has the glass-floor walkway with views straight down to the Huangpu River; and the Space Module (350m) is the highest accessible point. Combo tickets covering all three plus the museum run ¥220 at the gate and around ¥180 booked through Klook or Trip.com. The tower is more iconic from the outside than the inside — most foreign visitors photograph it from across the river on the Bund (free, best angle), then visit the History Museum at the base if rain forces them inside. Combine the visit with adjacent Shanghai Tower (taller, sleeker observation deck) or the IFC mall for a half-day Pudong skyline loop.
Highlights
- Upper Sphere Glass Walkway (263m)Glass-floor circular walkway around the middle sphere — views straight down to the Huangpu
- Space Module (350m)Highest accessible viewing point; clear-day visibility extends past the Bund
- Shanghai History Museum (base)1860s–1949 Shanghai life in dioramas; surprisingly substantive, included in combo ticket
- Best Photo from the BundTower is more photogenic from across the river than from inside
- Combo Ticket ¥220 (¥180 online)Klook and Trip.com pre-bookings skip the gate queue
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- The tower photographs far better than it views; shoot it from the Bund across the river, then decide if the interior is worth a ticket.
- If rain or heat drives you inside, the lower-sphere Shanghai History Museum is the genuinely worthwhile part of the combo ticket.
- On the 263 m glass walkway, the provided shoe covers can be laid over the glass if you would rather not stare straight down.
- Pre-book the combo online a day ahead; the gate queue routinely passes an hour on weekends and clear evenings.
- From East Nanjing Road, ride Line 2 one stop to Lujiazui rather than taking a taxi, which is blocked from the tower base.
- Aim for the 5:30 to 7:30 PM window to catch both sunset and the moment the city lights flick on across Pudong.
- Drones are banned over Lujiazui, so do not plan aerial shots; the river promenade behind the tower gives the best ground-level upward angle.
Photos
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What visitors say about Oriental Pearl Tower
Consistently praised: its iconic retro-futurist silhouette, the thrilling glass-floor skywalk, and the surprisingly good history museum below
Most common gripe: long ticket lines and a touristy feel some visitors call overpriced
Platform ratings as of 2026-07
Watch creators visit Oriental Pearl Tower
Each clip is timestamped to the moment the creator arrives at this stop.
The BEST of Shanghai China (15 Things to do in 2026)
Nomac GuidesStarts at 3:08
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
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Final stop: Oriental Pearl Tower with skywalk
Videos
Frequently asked questions about Oriental Pearl Tower
- How much are 2026 Oriental Pearl Tower tickets?
- Adult combo tickets covering all three observation decks plus the Shanghai History Museum run ¥220 at the gate and roughly ¥180 if pre-booked through Klook or Trip.com 24 hours ahead. The lower-sphere-only ticket is ¥120; the lower + middle sphere combo is ¥160. Children under 1.4 m and seniors 60+ qualify for half-price tickets. Pre-booking skips the gate queue, which on weekends regularly tops 60 minutes.
- How tall is the Oriental Pearl Tower?
- The Oriental Pearl Tower stands at 468 meters with 11 spheres along its central axis. Three are accessible to visitors: the Lower Sphere at 90 m (Shanghai History Museum), the Middle Sphere at 263 m (glass-floor walkway), and the Space Module at 350 m. The tower was Asia’s tallest building from completion in 1994 until Taipei 101 surpassed it in 2007. It remains Shanghai’s most internationally recognized skyline icon despite being dwarfed by adjacent Shanghai Tower (632 m).
- Should I visit Oriental Pearl Tower or Shanghai Tower?
- Shanghai Tower has the better observation deck — at 561 m it is more than double the Oriental Pearl’s 263 m walkway, and its J-Hotel-style interiors are newer and more polished. Oriental Pearl wins on cultural icon status (the building tourists recognize from postcards) and on the Shanghai History Museum included in the combo ticket. If you only do one tower, climb Shanghai Tower for the view and photograph Oriental Pearl from the Bund.
- Where is the best photo spot for Oriental Pearl Tower?
- The Bund across the Huangpu River, around the 31 Zhongshan East 1st Road viewing platform, gives the iconic postcard angle — Oriental Pearl framed against the broader Pudong skyline. Best times: 5:30–7:30 PM (sunset and the moment city lights turn on). For a closer shot, the Binjiang Avenue river promenade right behind the tower offers a dramatic upward angle. Drone shots over the Huangpu are prohibited — Lujiazui is a no-fly zone.
- Is the Oriental Pearl Tower glass walkway scary?
- The 263 m glass-floor walkway at the Middle Sphere is the tower’s signature thrill. The glass is structurally rated and you walk a complete circular ring with handrails on the inner side. Most visitors find it manageable — even those with mild heights aversion. The drop is 263 m straight to the riverside plaza below; cover the glass with the disposable shoe-covers provided if you prefer not to look down. The Space Module at 350 m has no equivalent glass floor.
- How do I get to Oriental Pearl Tower from the Bund or Nanjing Road?
- Take Metro Line 2 east one stop from East Nanjing Road station to Lujiazui — total 4 minutes plus a 5-minute walk to the tower base. From the Bund, walk to East Nanjing Road station (5 minutes from the central viewing platform) and take Line 2 the same one stop. The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel under the river is another option (¥50 one-way) but it is gimmicky and slow. Avoid taxis: traffic-management measures block drop-offs at the tower base.
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