The Stage Magnolia Observation Deck is located on the top floor of Magnolia Plaza, No. 501 East Daming Road, North Bund, Hongkou District, Shanghai. As the core high-altitude sightseeing area of the tallest building in West Shanghai (with a total height of 320 meters), it is a commercially operated urban high-altitude sightseeing experience project. The observation deck is reconstructed from the original building helipad, with the core design concept of “The World is a Stage (The Stage)”. It features a 360° open-air panoramic view, overlooking the Bund, Lujiazui and North Bund, the three core urban landscape areas of Shanghai. The total area of the observation deck is about 1,200 square meters, including an open-air viewing area of about 800 square meters and a supporting leisure and experience area of about 400 square meters. With an open high-altitude view and a five-scene immersive sightseeing route, it is the highest open-air observation platform in West Shanghai.
History and Culture
Magnolia Plaza (formerly known as Shanghai Hongkou Port International Passenger Transport Center Project) was completed in 2017. As a landmark high-rise building in the North Bund, its name “Magnolia” refers to the city flower of Shanghai, highlighting the regional cultural identity. The Stage Magnolia Observation Deck was officially opened to the public on April 15, 2025, marking an important expansion of Magnolia Plaza's architectural functions, shifting from business-oriented to a “business + cultural tourism experience” composite function.
In terms of cultural connotation, the completion of The Stage Magnolia Observation Deck fills the gap of high-altitude sightseeing in the North Bund and forms a complementary pattern with the high-altitude observation decks in Lujiazui, Pudong. Its “five-scene immersive experience” design integrates the sightseeing route with dramatic narration. The five-sense design of Prologue (B1 Floor Entrance), Ascent (Elevator Ride), Climax (Top Floor Viewing), Descent (Return Route) and Epilogue (Exit Experience) not only reflects the experiential concept of modern cultural tourism, but also echoes the urban cultural positioning of the North Bund as the core waterfront area of Shanghai's “One River, One Creek”, becoming an important window to display the urban landscape of West Shanghai.
Main Attractions
360° Open-air Observation Area
This is the core area of The Stage Magnolia Observation Deck, located at an altitude of 320 meters on the top floor of Magnolia Plaza. With an open and unobstructed design, the view covers a range of about 50 kilometers. To the east, you can overlook the Huangpu River waterway and the “Four Pieces” of Lujiazui (Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower); to the south, you can overlook the Bund International Architecture Exhibition Group and the Yuyuan area; to the west, you can see Suzhou Creek and Jing'an Temple Business District; to the north, you can enjoy the North Bund Riverside and Yangpu Bridge. It is the core spot for taking panoramic photos of Lujiazui in West Shanghai.
Five-scene Immersive Experience Area
It runs through the complete route from the B1 Floor sightseeing entrance to the top-floor observation deck. It is not an independent physical area, but creates a five-sense integration experience of “Prologue - Ascent - Climax - Descent - Epilogue” through materials (metal, glass, wood), colors (transition from cool tones to warm tones), light and shadow (natural lighting + customized lights), fragrance (customized urban theme fragrance) and customized background music, making the viewing process both ritual and immersive.
The Stage Shop and Coffee Area
Located in the supporting area of the top-floor observation deck, it covers an area of about 150 square meters. The Stage Shop mainly features urban cultural and creative products, with Shanghai's urban landscape and magnolia elements as the core design; the coffee area provides freshly ground coffee, light meals, etc. Visitors can take a leisure break at high altitude while enjoying the urban landscape, which is a supporting leisure spot of the observation deck.
Visiting Route
The recommended visiting route for The Stage Magnolia Observation Deck is: enter from Gate 1 of Magnolia Plaza, go to the B1 Floor sightseeing entrance for ticket verification, and first experience the “Prologue” immersive space (learn about the design concept and urban background of the observation deck, taking about 10 minutes); then take the exclusive sightseeing elevator to the top floor, and experience the light, shadow and music themed on “Ascent” during the elevator ride (taking about 1 minute); after exiting the elevator, enter the 360° open-air observation area. It is recommended to view the landscapes in the east (Lujiazui), south (the Bund), west (Suzhou Creek) and north (North Bund) directions clockwise in turn, focusing on the panoramic shooting spots of Lujiazui and the Bund, taking about 40 minutes; during the visit, you can go to The Stage Shop to purchase cultural and creative products or take a rest in the coffee area (taking about 20 minutes); finally, experience the themed scenes of “Descent” and “Epilogue” along the return route to complete the whole visiting process. The total visiting time is recommended to be controlled within 1-1.5 hours.
Visiting Tips
- Best visiting time: It is recommended to choose a sunny day from 15:00 to 18:00 in the afternoon (you can enjoy both the urban landscape during the day and the sunset, and the night views of Lujiazui and the Bund after 19:00). The peak passenger flow on weekends is from 14:00 to 17:00, so it is recommended to travel during off-peak hours.
- Visiting duration: It is recommended to set aside 1-1.5 hours, which can be extended to 2 hours if you deeply experience cultural and creative shopping and coffee leisure.
- Items to carry: The wind is strong in the open-air area on the top floor, and the temperature is 3-5℃ lower than the ground. It is recommended to carry a thin coat; it is recommended to bring a mobile phone or mirrorless camera for taking photos, and a tripod needs to be reported to the scenic area in advance; wear non-slip shoes and avoid high heels.
- Suitable groups: Suitable for couples, friends and photography enthusiasts. There are no barrier-free facilities in the observation deck, so people with mobility difficulties should visit carefully; children must be accompanied by adults, and there is no minimum age limit.
- Supporting experience: Learn about seasonal themed activities (such as festival lights, art installations) to enhance the visiting experience; it is recommended to choose Shanghai urban landscape series for cultural and creative products, which have commemorative value.
Notes
- Safety regulations: Climbing guardrails, crossing safety lines, running and playing are prohibited in the open-air area on the top floor; in case of strong wind, thunderstorm and other bad weather, the open-air area will be temporarily closed, and visitors should follow the guidance of the staff to enter the indoor waiting area.
- Ticket rules: Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable once sold, except for temporary closure of the scenic area; admission is verified with valid ID certificate used for ticket purchase, tickets are valid for single entry on the day, and re-entry is not allowed after exiting the park.
- Item restrictions: It is forbidden to bring flammable and explosive materials, controlled knives, drones, large-scale photographic equipment (tripods, stabilizers, etc.) into the park. If you need to use professional photographic equipment, you must apply to the scenic area official 1 working day in advance.
- Health tips: The open-air high-altitude environment may cause discomfort to people with acrophobia, high blood pressure and heart disease, so such people should visit carefully; there is no medical first-aid point in the observation deck, please contact the staff for assistance to the nearest hospital if you feel unwell.
- Others: Loud noise, littering, commercial live broadcasting and unauthorized commercial shooting are prohibited in the observation deck; photographic works are only for personal non-commercial use, and are prohibited for commercial purposes such as advertising and promotion.
Transportation
- Metro: Take Shanghai Metro Line 12 to International Passenger Transport Center Station (Exit 3), walk about 200 meters to Gate 1 of Magnolia Plaza; or take Metro Line 4 to Linping Road Station, transfer to Bus No.134 to East Daming Road & Gongping Road Station, walk about 100 meters.
- Bus: Take Bus No.134, 37, 868, 921, etc. to East Daming Road & Gongping Road Station, walk about 100 meters; or take Bus No.576, 934 to Pingliang Road & Lintong Road Station, walk about 500 meters.
- Self-driving: Navigate to “Magnolia Plaza Parking Lot”. The parking lot is located on B2-B4 floors, and the parking lot elevator can directly reach the B1 Floor sightseeing entrance.
- Ferry: Take East Golden Line Ferry (Dongchanglu Ferry - Jinling East Road Ferry) to Jinling East Road Ferry, transfer to Bus No.37 to East Daming Road & Gongping Road Station, walk about 100 meters.
Opening Hours
Daily 10:00-22:00, with the latest admission time at 21:15, clearing at 21:45 and official closing at 22:00. Opening hours are adjusted to 9:30-22:30 on legal holidays (Spring Festival, National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc.), with the latest admission time at 21:45.
Tickets
Ticket: 115 RMB per person. You can search the official service account “TheStage白玉兰观景台” on WeChat for the latest updates or online ticket purchase.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.