The Shenzhen Natural History Museum was undertaken by the 3XN – B+H Architects –Zhubo Design Consortium, with 3XN as lead designer and B+H Architects serving as lead consultant, executive architect and landscape architect. Zhubo provided local technical and compliance support.
SHENZHEN – Marking a milestone in South China’s cultural landscape, the Shenzhen Natural History Museum has officially opened to the public. Spanning over 100,000 square meters beside Yanzi Lake, the museum serves as a flagship project for Shenzhen’s ongoing cultural expansion, cementing the city’s status as a global hub for innovation, science, and public design.
Designed through an international collaboration between lead designer 3XN, lead consultant and executive architect B+H Architects, and local technical partner Zhubo Design, the building rises from the site as a continuous, flowing geological form. Inspired by local river systems and surrounding hills, the architecture features a granite facade and a walkable, public roof park that extends the ground plane, inviting everyday civic use beyond museum hours.
Internally, the spatial narrative is anchored by five massive, cone-shaped volumes that organize the primary exhibition halls. Visitors traverse cave-like passages, light-filled atria, and expansive terraces, experiencing an architectural journey that mirrors natural evolution. Eight themed halls guide the public through 4.6 billion years of Earth’s history—from the origins of the universe and dinosaur eras to human evolution and regional ecosystems. The scenography, developed with Atelier Brückner and Museum Studio, interweaves real specimens with large-scale media installations, making natural history fully immersive.
By merging structural complexity with multidisciplinary collaboration, the museum transforms the traditional static institution into a living, educational landscape.
Project information
Project name: Shenzhen Natural History Museum
Location: Pingshan District, Shenzhen, China
Design Consortium: 3XN, B+H Architects, and Zhubo Design
3XN (Lead Designer; Concept Design), B+H Architects (Lead Consultant, Executive Architect, Landscape Architect, Interior Design), Zhubo Design (Local technical compliance and delivery)
Engineer: Zhubo Design (Structural, MEP)
Client: Shenzhen Government /Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality
Tenant: Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports
Gross Floor Area: 105,300 m²
Construction start: March 2022
Completion: July 2026
Photography: Adam Mørk
ABOUT THE ARCHITECTS:
About 3XN Founded in Denmark in 1986 by Kim Herforth Nielsen, 3XN is an international architecture practice operating across Copenhagen, Stockholm, Sydney, New York, London, and Amsterdam. Grounded in a holistic methodology that values aesthetics, behavior, and circularity, 3XN creates human-focused designs that positively shape human experience and environmental resilience. Its innovation branch, GXN (est. 2007), specializes in design-led research to align built environments with planetary needs.
About B+H Architects B+H Architects is a global design and consulting practice with over 70 years of expertise across architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning. Operating from studios in Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, B+H combines design excellence with technical rigor to deliver enduring landmark projects in over 30 countries. The firm is a member of SJ Group.
About Zhubo Design Founded in 1996 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2019, Zhubo Design Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive design organization featuring over 1,600 professionals. Zhubo delivers full-process architectural, structural, and MEP design services, boasting recognized expertise in prefabricated construction, BIM, eco-building, and smart city technologies.
