The Shenzhen Natural History Museum officially opened to the public on July 28, marking a significant addition to the cultural landscape of southern China. Located in the northeastern Pingshan district of Shenzhen, the museum represents the first large-scale institution of its kind in the region and is part of the city government’s strategic initiative to develop ten major cultural facilities under its "Ten Cultural Facilities of the New Era" plan.
Construction of the museum involved a 3.5 billion yuan (approximately HK$4 billion) investment, excluding costs associated with artifact collection. The facility occupies a 42,000-square-meter site with a total floor area of 105,300 square meters. The building’s design was selected through an international competition that received over 70 submissions. The winning consortium included Danish architectural firm 3XN, Canada-based B+H Architects, and Chinese firm Zhubo Design. The structure draws inspiration from a river delta, featuring a free-flowing curved form, a walkable green roof park, permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, research laboratories, a 1,100-seat nature theatre, and three cinemas.
The museum's interior is organized into eight thematic sections, including halls dedicated to the Cosmos, Earth, Evolution, and Dinosaurs. Exhibits combine interactive technology, panoramic screens, and authentic fossil specimens to provide educational experiences. The Cosmos Hall showcases ancient star charts, astrolabes, telescopes, and meteorite samples, alongside an interactive lunar surface rover simulation inspired by China’s Chang’e-6 mission.
The Evolution Hall traces 3.8 billion years of biological history, explaining core scientific concepts such as genetic variation and evolution, while also highlighting the development of Chinese natural history knowledge through texts like Zhang Hua’s third-century Records of Diverse Matters. The Dinosaur Hall features a prominent 18-meter sauropod skeleton known as the “Bingling Great Summer Dragon,” discovered in Gansu province, supported by models and a 360-degree panoramic screen depicting Mesozoic ecosystems. This section emphasizes regional paleontological discoveries, including fossils from Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces dating back to the 1960s, dinosaur eggs found in Shenzhen in 2013, and skeletal remains recovered in Hong Kong in 2024. These findings contribute to the scientific understanding of southern China’s ancient geography and climate.
Additional displays focus on Shenzhen’s subtropical ecology, presenting local biodiversity through documentary footage, photographs of streams and migratory birds, and a recreated micro-forest to highlight conservation efforts. The museum also houses the Behring Collection, comprising over 159 taxidermied animals donated by American philanthropist Kenneth E. Behring, previously held by the Shenzhen Museum since 2012.
Museum director Yan Zhanxu emphasized the institution’s mission to interpret natural evolution and present Shenzhen's geographic context on a global scale. He noted that the architectural design transforms the museum into a living educational landscape, enabling visitors to experience a continuous journey through science, nature, and place.
The Shenzhen Natural History Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, with an admission fee of 80 yuan (approximately HK$93).