A scene recognition method and apparatus are provided. The method includes obtaining multiple local detectors by training a training image set, where one local detector in the multiple local detectors corresponds to one local area of a type of target, and the type of target includes at least two local areas; detecting a to-be-recognized scene by using the multiple local detectors, and acquiring a feature, which is based on a local area of the target, of the to-be-recognized scene; and recognizing the to-be-recognized scene according to the feature, which is based on the local area of the target, of the to-be-recognized scene.