Shanghai has unveiled its cultural development priorities for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–30), covering cultural venues, museum services, performances, and sporting events.

The city will further integrate culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions to create a wider range of experiences for both residents and visitors.

New cultural landmarks

Shanghai will optimize the layout of cultural spaces along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek, focusing on two major cultural clusters: one around People's Square and the other in the Expo–Qiantan–Xuhui Riverside area.

The city will accelerate the construction of several major projects, including Shanghai Museum North (Yangtze River Estuary No 2 Ancient Vessel Museum), Shanghai Museum West, Shanghai Industrial Museum, and the new site of the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace.

The Shanghai Grand Opera House has been completed after more than six years of construction. With a total floor area of 146,000 square meters, it is targeting an Oct 17 opening.

The opera house is envisioned as an artistic home for opera from around the world, a stage for premieres of original Chinese productions, and a public cultural space for the city.

Better museum experiences

Shanghai currently has 175 registered museums, with collections totaling more than 2.3 million items or sets. Together, they present about 1,000 exhibitions and receive more than 40 million visits each year.

Over the next five years, Shanghai will continue its citywide museum development initiative, led by the Shanghai Museum, to build an internationally influential museum cluster.

The city will deepen cooperation with museums worldwide, stage a number of world-class exhibitions, both major and special, each year, and promote joint exhibitions of important cultural relics across museums, districts, and regions.

Shanghai will continue its Museum Night program, with participating museums offering extended opening hours. Museums will improve guided tours and multilingual services, add more visitor-friendly facilities, and enhance retail and other services for international visitors.

The city will continue to roll out citywide museum passes offering tiered discounts and additional benefits, while linking museum visits with shopping districts and other cultural and tourism experiences.

More performances and public cultural activities

By 2030, Shanghai aims to hold an average of 65,000 performances a year as it continues its development as a leading performing arts hub in Asia.

Over the next five years, the city will promote more Shanghai-produced works, original Chinese productions and world premieres. It will develop formats such as immersive performances, virtual performances, and livestreamed shows, creating a wider variety of cultural experiences.

Public cultural services will also expand. Shanghai expects to operate 1,750 teaching locations under its Citizen Night School program this year. As of the end of June, 1,678 locations have been in operation, offering 6,356 courses.

Sporting events become part of the city experience

Over the next five years, Shanghai will host major events including the 2026 UCI Track World Championships and a stop of the Olympic Q-Series 2028.

The city will work to make the Shanghai Marathon an Abbott World Marathon Major, develop the Head of Shanghai River Regatta into a top-tier international event, and further upgrade the Shanghai Sailing Open.

Shanghai will bring more sporting events into tourist attractions, neighborhoods, and shopping districts. More off-site viewing venues and themed carnivals will be set up in distinctive areas.

Tickets to sporting events will be linked with shopping, tourist attractions, and performances, giving residents and visitors more ways to experience the city.

Source: Shanghai Municipal People's Government