The Shenzhen Natural History Museum opened to the public on July 28 as the first dedicated large-scale natural history institution in southern China.
The museum was spearheaded by the Shenzhen government with a total investment of 3.5 billion yuan, or US$517 million, excluding artefact collection costs. It is located in the Pingshan district on a 42,000-square-metre site with a total floor area of 105,300 square metres.
The building was designed by Danish firm 3XN, Canada-based B+H Architects and Chinese firm Zhubo Design after a competition that attracted more than 70 proposals worldwide. Its form is inspired by a river delta and includes a walkable green rooftop park.
The facility houses permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, research laboratories, a 1,100-seat nature theatre and three cinemas. It forms part of Shenzhen’s “Ten Cultural Facilities of the New Era”.
