Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (SOA) is situated within the Lujiazui financial district and beside the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai. SOA boasts one of the world’s most magnificent and splendid aquariums, and Shanghai’s largest.  The aquarium occupies about 20,500 square meters and the investment of the fund was about fifty million U.S. dollars by Singapore-based Straco Corporation and China’s China Poly Group.  SOA started in February 2002 and every year it attracts over 1 million global tourists and local visitors.

The environment design of SOA enables the visitors to experience and appreciate the most natural life of aquatic animals. The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is composed of 9 exhibition zones of all over the world, including China Zone, South America Zone, Australia Zone, Africa Zone, Southeast Asia Zone, Coldwater Zone, Antarctic Zone, Sea and Shore Zone, and Ocean Zone.  Gathering from five continents and four oceans, there are more than 450 species of aquatic animals.  Among these exhibition zones, the China zone is the only one in the world displaying endangered Chinese aquatic species, including rare and precious species from the famous Yangtze River in China.  The routine of the underwater journey includes a 155-meter long underwater tunnel, currently the longest in the world, starting from the Yangtze River Zone → Amazon in South America Zone → Australia Zone → Africa Zone → Southeast Asia Zone → Antarctic Zone. You will then see all sorts of strange fish and mammals like Jellyfish, Giant Salamander, Leafy and Weedy Sea Dragons, Chinese sturgeon, Spotted seals, Sand Tiger Sharks, Electric Eels, etc.

SOA has made a significant contribution on education since opening.  It’s awarded by the China Marine Society as a National Marine Education and awarded by the Shanghai Municipal Science & Technology Bureau as a Shanghai Municipal Science Education Base.  SOA offers a series of educational activities for the ages between 13-18 year old teenagers, to learn the knowledge of the world’s rivers and oceans.  The education tour features guided tour of the aquarium, touching pool activities, observing marine animals during the night, viewing of marine-life related videos, bilingual talks & interactive activities, DIY art and craft lessons and interactive games. The education programs include “Underwater Night Camping” and “Research and Explore“.  Underwater Night Camping is one of the aquarium's most popular tours; “Research and Explore “assists students to understand the knowledge of aquatic through an informative lecture.  SOA attempts to reach the goals of providing the life science environment, educating a better awareness to care our rivers and oceans, and making Shanghai Ocean Aquarium as a National Marine Education Base.

For the convenience of your Shanghai travel in China, below is a selection of nearby Shanghai hotels. For more sightseeing attractions in Shanghai, please visit our Shanghai Tourism website for a map to guide your China tour and to find your ideal China hotel.