The world's first glasses-free 3D installation art exhibition, inspired by mythical creatures from the ancient Chinese folklore The Classic of Mountains and Seas, is set to makes its Shanghai debut. Titled Amazing Zhulong, the exhibition will run at the China Art Museum from July 15 to Oct 8.

Marking a milestone as the first paid digital art display at the China Art Museum, this exhibition also serves as the inaugural stop of a global tour, with future destinations including such international cities as Singapore and Dubai.

As a highlight event of the 2025 Shanghai Tourism Festival, Amazing Zhulong offers not only a modern visual feast but also a reinterpretation of classic storytelling. Centered around the creation deity Zhulong from The Classic of Mountains and Seas, the exhibition explores the myth of this colossal creature, said to be a thousand miles long, governing nature, day and night, and the cycle of life.

By employing advanced digital technologies such as glasses-free 3D, holographic lasers, and interactive sensors, the exhibition animates these ancient mythical beings within a sprawling 2,000 square meter space.

Core exhibition areas:

1. "Interstellar landing" presents a glasses-free 3D circular space built with 10 high-definition LED screens, offering a visually striking experience as fragments and celestial bodies seem to penetrate the viewer's space.

2. "Flowing realm" immerses visitors in a 360-degree light sculpture environment, where a multi-faceted projection system envelops them in light, water, and mist.

3. "Dragon scales" showcases high-precision craftsmanship, with each dragon scale meticulously modeled, polished, colored, and manually assembled, merging technical precision with artistic texture.

4. The "Dragon's breath" area uses ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) material to simulate the mythical creature's breathing, inviting guests to synchronize their breaths and feel its gentle power.

5. "Dragon's eye" features an 8-meter diameter LED dome that constructs a dynamic universe, using a million-particle simulation system to depict the philosophical imagery of the "sun and the deep sea pupil".

Ticket information

• Price: 98 yuan ($13.67)
• Ticketing platforms: Damai, Maoyan, Piaoxingqiu, Douyin, Ctrip, Maitao, 247tickets

Sources: Official WeChat account of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism at "shanghaitourism", China Art Museum