New Shanghai sci-fi museum brings 'Three-Body' universe to life

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: The Waving Cube Science Fiction Museum will open to the public on July 5.

A new destination for science fiction fans is opening in suburban Shanghai's Fengxian District. The Waving Cube Science Fiction Museum, featuring an immersive "Three Body Problem" experience, opens to the public on July 5.

Inspired by the best-selling Chinese sci-fi trilogy, the museum offers visitors a chance to step inside a futuristic world of space battles, alien civilizations and cutting-edge technology.

It is the first venue in Shanghai to center a major exhibition on the global sci-fi phenomenon.

The "Three-Body Problem" exhibit is the museum's centerpiece. Housed on the second floor, the space recreates scenes and themes from the novels.

Visitors can create their own avatar, interact with digital displays, and track their performance in real time with a points system.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Visitors can engage in a space battle described in The Three-Body Problem trilogy.

The highlight is a 13-meter model of a battleship from the story – the largest official "Three-Body" ship model in China.

The two-story museum sits beside the Fengxian Museum. On the first floor, guests begin their visit at the "Space Station" service desk.

Here, they receive a wristband and mission guide, transforming into students of a fictional Future Academy.

More than 20 tasks are available, all designed to engage visitors with hands-on activities and digital challenges.

The second floor divides into light and dark zones. The dark zone holds the "Three-Body Problem" exhibition, while the light zone includes a reading lounge, multimedia gallery, and a rooftop garden with sci-fi-themed art.

Other highlights include the Waterdrop Theater, which blends stage design and science education, the Dome Challenge, a 360-degree theater for immersive space simulations and a collaborative gaming platform where families and groups can solve missions together.