This striking glass structure close to Century Park resembles an open butterfly orchid when viewed from above.

Designed by renowned French architect Paul Andreu (best known for his work designing airports like Paris Charles de Gaulle), the 40,000 square meter center opened at the end of 2004, since when it's played host to a galaxy of world-class musicians, orchestras and performers.

Shanghai can at times feel like a culturally barren place (it doesn't help if you don't speak Mandarin), but with seven levels and a variety of distinct spaces (including a philharmonic opera hall (seating almost 2,000 people), a lyric theater, and a small chamber music hall, as well as a library, a restaurant, and numerous multimedia galleries), a  visit here should brighten the mood of even the biggest philistine.