Summer Palace hosts Osmanthus Culture Exhibition until 12 October

Summer Palace is hosting its 25th Osmanthus Culture Exhibition through 12 October 2026 in Beijing, giving visitors a current seasonal programme inside one of China’s best-known imperial gardens. The exhibition is also linked to flower displays and cultural activities at several historic points across the grounds.

Summer Palace exhibition continues through 12 October

The exhibition was listed by the Beijing municipal government as a current event at the Summer Palace on 25 September 2026. Its displays include more than 60,000 flowers, with more than 1,000 large potted plants arranged around the park.

The presentation includes nearly 300 pots of ancient osmanthus trees more than 100 years old, alongside premium osmanthus specimens, bonsai and more than 800 pots of seasonal flowers. The exhibition also includes an Osmanthus Market with cultural and creative products at several scenic points. The official exhibition notice places the event at the Summer Palace and confirms that it runs through 12 October 2026.

Flower displays follow the garden’s historic landscape

The flower displays are located at the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the Summer Palace Museum, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, East Palace Gate and the Plowing and Weaving Scenery Area. A themed flowerbed stands east of Wenchang Pavilion, adding a temporary display to the garden’s permanent sequence of halls, pavilions and lake views.

The Summer Palace is built around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. Construction of the imperial garden began in 1750, and UNESCO describes the site as a landscape garden combining open water, hills, pavilions, halls, temples and bridges. The garden was largely destroyed in 1860 and restored on its original foundations in 1886, details recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage record.

That setting gives the autumn exhibition a specific route through the heritage site: visitors encounter living plants beside museum buildings, religious architecture, ceremonial halls and the lake landscape that forms the garden’s historic framework. The temporary displays therefore extend beyond a single flower bed and connect the October programme with the site’s larger garden design.

Visiting Summer Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The 25th Osmanthus Culture Exhibition continues through 12 October 2026 at the Summer Palace in Beijing.
• The flower displays and related market are located at named areas including the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the Summer Palace Museum, East Palace Gate and the Plowing and Weaving Scenery Area.
• The garden is in Haidian District in north-western Beijing, with Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill forming its main landscape features.
• Visitors should expect a large outdoor garden with open water, slopes, bridges, halls and pavilions rather than a single enclosed exhibition hall.
• China’s official language is Mandarin Chinese and its national currency is the renminbi.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Summer Palace on social platforms

These links open searches for Summer Palace on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Summer Palace

When does the Osmanthus Culture Exhibition take place at Summer Palace?

The 25th Osmanthus Culture Exhibition continues through 12 October 2026 at the Summer Palace in Beijing.

What is Summer Palace?

It is an imperial garden built around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1998.

Where is Summer Palace and how do you get there?

Summer Palace is in Haidian District in north-western Beijing. The site is arranged around open water, hills, bridges, halls and pavilions.