Covering a total area of 6,000 square meters, the Saudi Arabia pavilion at Shanghai World Expo is hard to miss: it’s a huge structure with a singular design, unique location, and a boat-like, design pointing in the direction of Makkah.
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion, the most expensive pavilion at Shanghai World Expo, is also one of the most popular, if not the most buzzed about pavilion of the event. Ever heard of the infamous 9-hour wait just to enter the pavilion?
The main exhibition of the pavilion will be comprised three parts: the first part, called “a handful of sand” will serve as an introduction to Saudi Arabian history, geography, social life and cities.
Exhibits: The Giant Emerged Screen
The second part is the IMAX theatre with a 1,600 sqm screen — probably the largest on earth; the third part is the transitional area in between the first and the second part to prepare visitors for shows to come. A moving belt connects the three parts together, allowing visitors to comfortably wander throughout the exhibition.
In the first part of the movie, titled “City and Society”, the visitors watch realistic pictures and images that present glimpses of the Saudi people and its civil and industrial renaissance as well as the features of its land, cities, and holy sites.
Then the second part of the film titled: “The Treasure Hall” begins, and it features a surround movie that carries the visitors to space between Earth and the Moon, and then descends gradually until it reaches the desert of the “empty quarter” before moving to another aerial view of the Holy Mosque in Makkah to show another impressive bird’s-eye view of the pilgrims around the Kaaba.
Exhibits: Arabian Oasis on the Moon Boat’s Rooftop
Tents were put up under the date trees for visitors to experience the feeling of ‘living in a tent’.
The top deck is also a good spot for a nice riverside view.
