Ancient Americas through botanical journey

An exhibition merging ancient American civilizations with botanical wonders will open Thursday at the Shanghai Expo Culture Park, exploring the botanical foundations of Aztec, Maya, and Inca cultures as a companion to the On Top of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas exhibition on going in Shanghai.

Realm of the World Tree: agave and its friends — plants of the Americas show runs through Nov 14, 2027, showcasing over 300 species of American plants across three themed pavilions at the Shanghai greenhouse garden.

"We created immersive installations in each pavilion that transport visitors into the worlds of Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations," Zhang Feng, head of planning and operations at Shanghai Expo Culture Park, said.

"Our goal is to build a living plant kingdom that complements the artifact exhibition, allowing visitors to experience the botanical richness of the Americas firsthand."

"We made over 300 new plant labels specifically for species connected to American civilizations," Zhang explained. "This allows visitors to discover which plants originally came from the Americas and understand their cultural significance."

The first pavilion recreates the arid highland ecosystems dominated by agave and cacti. Visitors can enter through a cave guarded by a replica Olmec colossal head.

The second pavilion centers on the world tree, the cosmic pillar of Maya cosmology.

According to Maya belief, the ceiba tree connects three realms. This tropical rain forest environment features native American species including trumpet trees and rubber trees.

The third pavilion transports visitors to the highlands and Inca civilization. Its centerpiece is a spectacular pair of alpaca topiaries dressed in traditional textiles — a 6-meter-tall mother and 3.5-meter-tall calf, their woolly coats composed of bromeliads.

"Alpacas held sacred status in Inca civilization, symbolizing harvest, peace, and prosperity," Zhang said.

"The warm, humid greenhouse provides ideal growing conditions for bromeliads, whose delicate leaves create that fluffy wool appearance."

He revealed the alpacas might undergo a costume change in autumn and winter, with additional bromeliad species planted from head to cheeks.

The exhibition centers on agave as its unifying theme, featuring over 30 varieties and demonstrations of traditional agave distilling techniques.

Starting July 11, the greenhouse will host Echoes of Mayahuel, an immersive musical performance every Saturday at 2pm.

The 40-minute show follows a botanist through the three pavilions, weaving together the love story of the agave goddess Mayahuel and the feathered serpent god into a journey connecting plants, mythology, and civilization. The performance is included with regular greenhouse admission at no extra charge.

"We want civilization to be more than static displays," Zhang said.

"By embedding live performances within these botanical scenes, visitors can experience a multisensory immersion — sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell — that brings ancient American cultures vividly to life."