The blockbuster exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt, the largest display of ancient Egyptian artifacts held outside Egypt, will be open around the clock from Aug 11 to 17, offering a total of 168 consecutive hours at the Shanghai Museum.

To enhance public access, special late-night sessions will run from midnight to 6 am, with 3,000 tickets available per session at a discounted price of 74 yuan ($10).

The museum will also host two themed carnival events on Aug 11 and 17, accompanied by a variety of cultural activities throughout the week.

As of July 28, the exhibition has already set a global record for the highest attendance at a paid cultural artifact exhibition, drawing nearly 2.6 million visitors. That number is expected to surpass 2.7 million by closing, with cultural product sales exceeding 400 million yuan and citywide related consumption topping 20 billion yuan.

 

Carnival events

Visitors on Aug 11 and 17 can enjoy a vibrant carnival atmosphere with live performances and interactive experiences, including:

Performances

• Parades featuring deities from ancient Egyptian mythology
• Traditional Egyptian drumming and dance
• Solo acrobatic acts
• Highlights from the opera Aida
• Close-up magic shows

Interactive experiences

• Archaeological Camera: a hands-on simulation of artifact excavation
• Hieroglyphics Decryption Bureau: decode ancient Egyptian scripts in a fun and engaging activity

Lucky draws and giveaways

At designated times, raffles and the Gifts from EgyptAir campaign will offer prizes including round-trip flights between Shanghai and Cairo and complimentary 8-day tours of Egypt.

 

Other featured activities

Nighttime museum adventure with RedNote

From 6 pm to 9 pm on Aug 9, the Shanghai Museum will co-host a special visit and share event titled Depart after Sunset – Museum Adventure Night with lifestyle platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu.

All visitors who book a spot for the evening will receive a commemorative Ancient Egypt Pass, which grants access to an Egyptian-style costume and dressing experience.

Street music performance

On the evenings of Aug 12 and 14, Luo Xiaoluo, a well-known local street performer dubbed "singer of the people", will perform two live sets.

 

Dining and cultural merchandise

Visitors can enjoy local cuisine each evening at the museum's south plaza, where famous restaurants like Guang Ming Cun and Red House will set up food stalls offering over 200 curated dishes from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

Holders of an exhibition ticket stub can enjoy exclusive discounts at these stalls.

Meanwhile, nearly 500 cultural and creative items will go on sale with discounts up to 50 percent starting at midnight on Aug 11.

Beginning at midnight on Aug 17, all cultural merchandise (except special items) will be marked down by up to 50 percent, with some bargain items available for as low as 10 to 50 yuan.

 

Ticket guide

Opening hours: Open non-stop from midnight on Aug 11 to 11:59 pm on Aug 17

Location: Shanghai Museum, No 201 Renmin Avenue, People's Square, Huangpu district

Open exhibition halls:

• 1st Floor: On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt (open 24 hours)
• 2nd Floor: The Disappeared Pharaoh: An Immersive Exploration of the Khufu Pyramid (open 24 hours)
• 3rd Floor: Precious Rarities: Ming and Qing Rhinoceros Horn Carvings in the Shanghai Museum (open 9 am to 5 pm)
• 4th Floor: Chinese Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Furniture Gallery, Chinese Minority Nationalities' Art Gallery, and All That Glitters: Chinese Cloisonne as a Gift from Robert Chang's Collection (open 9 am to 5 pm)

Ticket prices

From Aug 11 to 17, visitors can purchase special late-night session tickets for 74 yuan.

Ticket type	Price (yuan)	Usage period
Special late-night session ticket (3,000 for each session)	74	12 am to 6 am (last entry by 6 am)
Full-price ticket	148	Exhibition open period
Discounted ticket	74	Exhibition open period
Parent-child ticket A (one adult and one child)	200	Exhibition open period
Parent-child ticket B (two adults and one child)	320	Exhibition open period

Note: Late-night session tickets cannot be combined with other discounts. However, accompanying visitors who qualify for the Shanghai Museum's free admission policy, such as seniors aged 65 and above, can enter for free with a valid ID.

Where to buy tickets

• Via the Shanghai Museum's official WeChat mini-program
• On-site ticket counters

To access the mini program:

• Search for "上海博物館參觀預約" on WeChat.
• Or go to the "參觀預約" section in the Shanghai Museum's official WeChat account.

 

Sources: Jiefang Daily, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism