China

China Pavilion to reopen on Dec 1

By Wang Zhenghua (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-26 07:59

SHANGHAI - The China Pavilion, the top attraction at the recently concluded Expo 2010 Shanghai, will reopen to the public on Dec 1 for a period of six months.

Visitors will be charged 20 yuan for entry.

According to the Expo organizers, the "Crown of the East", as the China Pavilion is known, will retain all its features from the Expo, which drew to a close on Oct 31.

A new exhibition will be added at the structure's waiting area, where visitors will get an idea of how the building was constructed.

The pavilion will be open to visitors from 9 am to 5 pm daily.

The 2-billion-yuan inverted pyramid-like structure was designed to accommodate 50,000 people on any given day.

Although the China Pavilion, which was open for nearly 13 hours a day, received about 10 million visitors during the six-month fair, a majority of the 73 million Expo visitors could not enter the pavilion owing to the unprecedented crowds.

Street vendors have started gearing up for business outside the pavilion in anticipation of a large number of visitors.

The Shanghai Morning Post on Thursday quoted an unnamed vendor near the closed Expo site as saying his sales, mainly targeting sparse visitors who come to pose for photographs in front of the pavilions, had been staggering.

"But sales will be even better when the China Pavilion reopens," he said.

Visitors who arrive in groups of 16 or more will need to make prior reservations at http://cp.expo2010.cn, which will be launched on Nov 29.

Companies and organizations that purchase more than 30 tickets are also required to make reservations at least three days before their visit.

All visitors are required to enter the Expo site from the gate located near the crossing of South Pudong Rd and Shangnan Rd.

Highlights of the pavilion include sections called Exploring Oriental Footprint, Experience Trip and Focus on Low-Carbon Future.

Visitors could appreciate an animated version of an ancient painting called Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival and ride on excursion trains that will give them a glimpse of China's achievements in urban development.

China Daily