ShanghaiJune 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, the global launch event for the sixth installment of the Shanghai Museum’s “Dialogue with the World” series of major cultural and art exhibitions—”At the Summit of the World Tree: A Grand Exhibition of Ancient American Civilizations”—was grandly held at the World Reception Hall.
Following the “On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt” exhibition, this is another blockbuster presentation from the Shanghai Museum focusing on global ancient civilizations. It will be held at the museum’s People’s Square location from July 9, 2026, to November 14, 2027, offering an extended 16-month run that allows visitors to leisurely immerse themselves in a “once-in-a-lifetime, must-see” celebration of civilization.
This exhibition, in collaboration with top-tier cultural and museum institutions from Mexico and Peru, brings together 1,129 groups—nearly 3,000 exquisite artifacts—in an effort to comprehensively outline the grand tapestry of ancient Central and South American civilizations. It aims to create the largest, highest-level, most narratively complete, and most innovatively presented exhibition of ancient American civilizations in global history.
“At the Summit of the World Tree: A Grand Exhibition of Ancient American Civilizations” is divided into two major sections: “Sacred Spaces” on the first and second floors of the People’s Square venue, and “The Golden Empire” on the third floor. Spanning over 7,000 square meters of exhibition space, the sections focus respectively on the magnificent histories and precious artifacts of Mexico and Peru.
The “Sacred Spaces: Civilizations of Ancient Mexico” exhibition on the first and second floors brings together over 2,600 artifacts from 13 Mexican cultural institutions. Guided by the complex spiritual beliefs and brilliant material achievements of ancient Mesoamerica, it presents visitors with the unique pantheon of deities, power structures, and profound understanding of cosmic order and the cycle of life across various Mesoamerican civilizations.
The “Golden Empire: Treasures of Machu Picchu” exhibition on the third floor will display 325 precious artifacts from Peru’s Larco Museum, 116 of which are leaving Peru for the first time. As the largest exhibition of Andean civilization ever held in China, it is also one of the largest exhibitions of gold and silver artifacts from this civilization to tour outside Peru. The exhibition content not only showcases the evolution of social and political structures in the Andean region but also profoundly interprets its unique worldview.
During the exhibition period, the Shanghai Museum on People’s Square will host no other exhibitions. Instead, beneath the canopy of the “World Tree,” it will transform into a cultural universe woven from imagery of corn, jaguars, feathered serpents, and pyramids. To create an authentic ancient American atmosphere, the People’s Square venue will undergo a comprehensive experiential upgrade, creating over 10,000 square meters of immersive space. Before entering the exhibition, visitors will walk through a cornfield into the museum, immersing themselves in the natural landscape of ancient America.
International visitors can purchase tickets on Trip.com by selecting a visit date and time slot, and must present valid identification for verification upon entry on the day of their visit. The Shanghai Museum on People’s Square also has an on-site ticket office.