Coda

Abstract

Similar to previous World Expos, the spectacles at the Shanghai Expo were fleeting. It is customary to dismantle the pavilions after the event is over. In Shanghai, only three national pavilions remain on their original site. China’s pavilion extended its engagement for several months after the closing of the expo. The pavilion has since been renamed the China Art Museum, Shanghai, and houses the Shanghai Art Museum, which was established in 1956 and moved from its downtown location to the expo site in October 2012. The Saudi Arabian pavilion and the Italian pavilion have respectively reopened as the “Moonboat” and the Shanghai Italian Center, under the management of the Shanghai Expo Group, a state company tasked with overseeing post-expo commercial development. Visitors pay an admission of 60 yuan (about $10) to visit each. Both pavilions were immensely popular with the Chinese public during the expo. The Saudi Arabian pavilion was touted to be the most expensive self-built national pavilion and reportedly had the longest wait time among all the expo pavilions. It attracted more than 4 million visitors during the six-month run. The “Moonboat,” in reference to the shape of the pavilion, offers an immersive cinematic experience, art exhibits, and a rooftop garden with a panoramic view of the city. The Italian pavilion was another popular destination that attracted 7.3 million visitors during the expo.