Shanghai Science Festival to showcase city's achievements, innovation

The 2025 Shanghai Science Festival, a two-week celebration of scientific innovation and technological advancement, is set to open on May 17 across all 16 districts in the city, according to organizers on Monday.

The festival will host nearly 2,000 events across six themes. The opening ceremony will showcase an artificial intelligence-powered scientific red carpet featuring Extended Reality technology and humanoid robots.

"While Shanghai is renowned for tourist landmarks like the Bund and Disneyland, it's also home to world-class scientific facilities and laboratories that are typically inaccessible to the public," said Huang Hong, deputy director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality. "The festival opens these doors, offering rare glimpses into Shanghai's scientific infrastructure."

During the event, 48 science education bases will offer special admission rates, while 56 key laboratories and major scientific facilities will welcome public visitors.

The festival's programming centers on three primary areas: preserving and promoting scientific spirit, providing hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, and showcasing Shanghai's achievements as an international science and innovation hub.

The opening ceremony promises to be the highlight of the festival. The AI scientific red carpet represents a technological leap forward from last year's metaverse-themed installation, said He Jiaji, an official from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality. Utilizing advanced AI motion capture technology, the system will collect guest movement data in real-time, creating an interactive experience that bridges physical and virtual realms.

The red carpet will host 12 groups of guests, including representatives from basic research, strategic technology and scientific services sectors. Global research institutions, young scientists under 35 and directors of international science and technology museums will also participate. In an unprecedented move, members of the general public will also have the opportunity to experience the red carpet.

Humanoid robots will make their debut on the scientific red carpet alongside people, symbolizing the harmonious integration of human innovation and artificial intelligence.

The festival will also implement various technological solutions, including robotic ceremonial services, AI simultaneous interpretation systems, real-time digital conference text systems, and virtual reality presentation assistance glasses.

Following the opening ceremony, the fourth Shanghai science communication conference will convene, focusing on three key objectives: establishing international science communication networks, exploring new communication paradigms, and nurturing an innovative ecosystem for science popularization. The conference will comprise a main forum on "building a new global science communication ecosystem" and four specialized sub-forums.

During the festival, popular venues like Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park and Shanghai Wild Animal Park will offer ticket discounts. Nearly 270 science education bases in the city also launched special activities.

Since its establishment in 1991 as China's first government-led science festival and the world's second city-named science festival, the Shanghai Science Festival has evolved into a crucial platform for public engagement with science and innovation.