Robots drum and dance, others sit across a table to play chess, and a few engage in friendly chatter, greeting visitors with playful banter. The lively scenes feel part street theatre and part tech demo, keeping guests smiling as they move through the exhibits.

The setting is a new humanoid robot intelligent experience center in Wuxi, where a giant “big hand” sculpture at the entrance leads visitors into a 1,300-square-metre space filled with robotic performances and displays. The center blends technology and culture to create a fresh cultural-tourism attraction.

Beyond the spectacle, the showcase points to a practical trend. At tourist sites around the region, robots are being used as guides, security patrols, stage performers, and customer-facing staff, emerging as versatile helpers in the visitor economy.