In photos: 8 country pavilions to visit this weekend at Expo 2020 Dubai as per social media

We’re nearly a month in, and the Expo 2020 Dubai thrill is positively here to stay for another five months. To new eyes, a few country pavilions among the 190-plus have caught the wonder and fascination of social media – whether it be Russia’s globular structure or Brazil’s open-air pool cinema. If you’re looking for a string of memorable experiences, have a look at this list of pavilions that the internet can’t stop raving about.

The Netherlands Pavilion (Sustainability District): Don’t let the industrial look fool you. The building houses a 19-metre food cone, growing greens with water from extracted from air. But what you can do here is actually venture into the dark vertical farm, where oyster mushrooms sprout from concentric rows and the water-harvesting system produces a drizzle. You are handed out umbrellas before you enter, not for the rain shower but as a projection surface for displays on the underside. Along with fellow visitors, hold out your umbrella, look up and enjoy the show.

Australia Pavilion (Mobility District): Another reason to kick back and enjoy what’s overhead is the planetarium inside the Australia Pavilion. Called the ‘Star Dreaming Gallery’, this 360-degree cinematic experience comes with seats and a whole lot of Aboriginal astronomy. Track the movements of celestial bodies in the sky as the indigenous stargazers did 60,000 years ago, guided by a narration. By the time the show comes to an end, you will have learned a thing or two about the ‘Dreaming’ tales.

Brazil Pavilion (Sustainability District): Fancy a mini beach outing without the sand? Get ready to take in carnival vistas and addictive Latin American beats surrounded by a pool. Ideal for a quick cool off, the pavilion invites visitors to walk into their version of tropical Rio Negro, except this river is regularly refrigerated. Young ones can be often spotted splashing about in the shallow water, even taking to swinging from the hammocks. Every day after sunset, the walls turn into a projection surface for an immersive audio-visual show.

Russia Pavilion (Mobility District): If you’re a fan of starry skies and domed ceilings, the Russia Pavilion should be high on your list of attractions to visit. The architecture itself is a cheerful structure modelled after matryoshka dolls – a spherical building wrapped in 25,000-plus metres of colourful pipes. But what you will want to see is the topmost floor where a larger-than-life brain rests. The main exhibition space is an audio-visual spectacle on the human brain and its ‘Mechanics of Wonder’. The reflective floor, panels and ceiling all come to life in vibrant colours, as the audience receives a lesson on the untapped potential of our minds.

Singapore Pavilion (Sustainability District): Nowhere else on the site will you get to stroll under hanging gardens. A mini-Singapore in Dubai, the pavilion is breath of fresh air, presenting you with a dose of dense greenery. Watch out for daily light shows inside its three verdant cones after sunset, then head over to the arena on the ground floor for a monthly movie screening. Next feature film plays on November 9 at 6pm.

Germany Pavilion (Sustainability District): Looking for a more dynamic experience? Campus Germany packs a hands-on adventure from the moment you step in. Your mission is simple: clear the challenges and graduate with flying colours to reach the exit – bonus points if you’re a sustainability champion. The last room is dubbed as the graduation hall with high swing sets, where you must swing in unison with other visitors to pass the test. So, are you a team player?

Japan Pavilion (Al Forsan): The interior is as serene as the origami-inspired exterior – the perfect twilight zone for atmospheric Instagram reels. But the buzz surrounding the Japan Pavilion boils down to the sushi restaurant it houses. Sushiro eatery not only serves budget-friendly Kaiten-zushi or sushi plates on a conveyor belt but authentic ramen, green tea ice cream and rolls with prices starting from Dh7.

Finland Pavilion (Mobility District): By the end of the day, you can venture into a quiet meditative retreat distinctive to the Finnish culture. The perfect place to wind down, the Finland Pavilion’s gorge is exactly what it sounds like – an empty space cocooned by wooden lattice walls, rising to a narrow opening overhead. It’s set apart from the rest of the pavilion with a dedicated entrance, so that visitors can access it at all times. Let the gentle lull of the ambient music and earthy scents transport you to natural Finnish landscapes.