Places to explore along Metro Line 4

Shenzhen's Metro Line 4, extending from Futian Checkpoint to Longhua District, is known for being crowded. Apart from this down side, one reason that a ride on Line 4 is so in-demand is that it links many fun, cool places of interest.

Shenzhen Industrial Museum

Built in 1998, the new Shenzhen Industrial Museum is a professional institution which displays Shenzhen’s industrial and economic achievements as well as its business environment.

The sweeping spiral staircase at its center plus its gray walls add a cool, industrial feel to the structure. There you will see various exhibits which include objects like space capsules, electrical safety equipment, computers and 3-D technology.

The museum covers an area of 13,000 square meters, 10,000 of which is exhibition area. The multi-function hall on the third floor holds over 100 events ranging from forums to training sessions and enterprise salons every year.

The business and leisure area on the fourth floor is equipped with a garden and faces Futian CBD, while the new product launch area on the sixth floor is equipped with product display stands, synchronous broadcasting equipment, and a 160-inch central main screen and 100-inch projection screens on either side.

Opening hours: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Mon.-Sat.), entry stops from 5 p.m.; closed on Sundays

Add: 2/F to 10/F, Zone B, Civic Center, Fuzhong Road 3, Futian District (福田区福中三路市民中心B区2-10楼)

Metro: Line 2 or 4 to Civic Center Station, Exit C

Entry: Free

Tips: Visitors must show ID and store bags upon entry

Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, the latest cultural landmark in Shenzhen, opened to the public Dec. 28, 2017. Located at the northeast corner of Civic Center, the museum covers an area of about 30,000 square meters with a total construction area of about 90,000 square meters.

The museum is one part of the master plan for Futian’s cultural center, which encompasses Shenzhen Concert Hall, Shenzhen Library, Shenzhen Book City CBD Store and Shenzhen Museum in adjacent areas.

The museum combines two independent yet structurally unified institutions — the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Planning Exhibition (PE) into a cultural meeting point and a venue for architectural exhibitions. The lobby, multifunctional exhibition halls, auditorium, conference rooms and service areas are all shared by the two entities.

Opening Hours: 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (Mon.-Sun.), entry stops from 5:30 p.m.

Add: 184 Fuzhong Road, Futian District (福田区福中路184号)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station, Exit A2

Entry: Free

Tips: Visitors must show ID card upon entry, and beverage and food is prohibited inside the venue

Guan Shanyue Art Museum

Located near Civic Center and Lianhua Hill Park, Guan Shanyue Art Museum enjoys easy access and nice scenery. The museum covers an area of 8,000 square meters and has a construction area of 15,100 square meters.

The museum is dedicated to the works of Guan Shanyue, a modern master of the Lingnan School of Chinese ink painting. The Lingnan School originated in the early 20th century and was inspired by Japanese and Western arts.

Guan Shanyue studied under the masters of the school and proved to be a competent artist in that style. He donated his paintings to the Shenzhen City Government in 1993 and the gallery opened in 1997. It contains exhibits of Guan’s work and hosts regular exhibitions.

Opening hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tue.-Sun.); closed on Mondays

Add: 6026 Hongli Road, Futian District, Shenzhen (深圳市福田区红荔路6026号关山月美术馆)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station, Exit F

Tips: Visitors must show ID upon entry

Baishilong Music Park

The first music-themed park in the city, Baishilong Music Park was made open to the public before the start of last Spring Festival. Covering an area of 116,000 square meters in Minzhi Subdistrict, Longhua District, the park is a major public cultural and sports facility.

The park is dotted with different music-themed sculptures such as a huge bust of Beethoven and sculptures of a saxophone player and a giant gramophone.

Opening hours: All day

Add: Baishilong Music Park, Jinlong Road, Longhua District (龙华区金龙路白石龙音乐公园)

Metro: Line 4 to Baishilong Station, Exit B

Entry: Free

Deyi Park

Though not that big compared with others, Deyi Park is unique for its exquisite Lingnan-style touches characterized by white walls and black bricks. The park has three gates, namely South Gate, East Gate and West Gate. South Gate is the main gate built with black bricks. At South Gate, there is a porch formed by five pairs of pillars.

The park, built with an investment of 27 million yuan (US$4.32 million), covers an area of 31,000 square meters and is intended to serve more-than-300,000 residents who live in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Apart from nice scenery, the park is equipped with sports facilities like basketball and badminton courts. Seeing senior citizens dancing in the park is a daily sight.

Add: Near the intersection of Bulong Road and Meilong Boulevard (龙华区布龙路与梅龙大道交叉口旁)

Metro: Line 4 to Hongshan Station, Exit A

Entry: Free

Yangtai Mountain Forest Park

Located at the intersection of Bao’an, Nanshan and Longhua districts, Yangtai Mountain stands at an altitude of 587 meters. It’s the tallest peak in Northwest Shenzhen. In 2008, the mountain was rated one of the eight top scenic spots in Shenzhen by the Shenzhen government.

There are many charming cultural and natural landscapes on the mountain. Among them, the Yangtai Mountain Waterfall is a must-see. With over 10 reservoirs spread out around the base of the mountain, it’s also an important source of the city’s drinking water.

Hours: 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (Mon.-Sun.); Last entry is 4 p.m.

Add: Longyanshan Village, Shiyan Town, Bao’an District (宝安区石岩镇龙眼山村)

Metro: Line 4 to Longsheng Station, Exit C, then take Bus m115 or m462 to Yangtai Mountain Stop

Entry: Free

Longhua Park

Located in Longhua District, Longhua Park enjoys a long history. Built in 1992, the park covers an area of 200,000 square meters. The grounds of the garden are covered in a fertile assortment of different grasses and flowers combined with beautiful scenery and hilltops, which feature the Monument to the Revolutionary Martyrs of the Dongjiang Column.

Modern cultural facilities at the base of the hill include swimming pools, play areas for children, as well as multipurpose leisure and entertainment facilities. The site is a favorite of nearby residents, who frequently visit and exercise there on weekends.

Add: Renmin Road North, Longhua District (龙华区人民北路)

Metro: Line 4 to Longhua Station, Exit B

Entry: Free

Shuiwei 1368 Culture Street

It’s a new landmark born of the urban village renovation. The once-shabby buildings are now Qilou-style buildings with corridors, black-brick walls and stone arches. The colorful apartment buildings shine at night alongside clean, vibrantly lit streets.

Apart from the chic buildings, there are a variety of Cantonese delicacies available including casserole porridge, rice noodle rolls and desserts. In addition, there are many Western-style bars run by expat residents.

The Shuiwei Ningmeng Talents Apartments is the city’s first such urban renovation project. Twenty-nine buildings in the former village have been leased to the Futian District Government and transformed into well-furnished talent apartments.

Add: Huanggang Park 1st Street, Futian District (福田区皇岗公园一街)

Metro: Line 4 to Fumin Station, Exit D, then walk for some 788 meters (距地铁4号线福民站D出口步行788米)

Loft Town at UpperHills

This colorful town is hidden away in a cranny of the hustling and bustling city, connecting Lianhua Hill and Bijia Mountain. Roaming around the colorful buildings on a sunny day is sure to provide a mood-boost. When you get tired, you can sit down at one of the many coffee shops for a caffeine-aided rest.

UpperHills is a top-class urban complex composed of multi-shopping spaces, high-end business apartments, art spaces, Muji Hotel Shenzhen and the international luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Add: Northwest of the intersection of Huanggang Road and Sungang Road West, Futian District (福田区皇岗路与笋岗西路交汇处西北侧)

Metro: Line 4 to Lianhua North Station, Exit A2, then walk for 1,300 meters