When Pudong was farmland in 1991, the 468-meter Oriental Pearl Tower was the first signal that Shanghai was reinventing itself. Today it's an outdated cousin to Shanghai Tower next door, but still a beloved photo backdrop and a working observation deck. The 263-meter "upper sphere" gets you a glass walkway with views straight down to the river. Inside the base is the Shanghai History Museum — surprisingly substantive, well worth the entry. Combo tickets cost 220 RMB. Best seen from the Bund across the river rather than visited; the photo of the tower is more famous than the view from it.

Address

1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai

浦东新区世纪大道1号

Highlights

Upper Sphere Glass Walkway (上球体玻璃栈道)263m high; glass floor with river views
Shanghai History Museum (上海城市历史发展陈列馆)Surprisingly substantive; included in combo ticket
Best Photo from the Bund (外滩拍摄)Tower is more photogenic from across the river