National Museum of China - World's Second Most Visited Museum

▶ National Museum of China Entrance Fee

There are regular exhibitions and special exhibitions. The regular and permanent ones are Free for all the people who come to visit it with valid identity documents and you can collect your free tickets at the Ticket Office.

The identity documents include ID Card, student ID card, passport, Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, driving license.

If you would like to visit a special exhibition, you can book the ticket on the official website of National Museum of China, or purchase tickets at the Ticket Office, the service counter of the West Hall, and the entrance of the exhibition hall.

▶ National Museum of China Opening Time

From 9:00am to 17:30pm

Last admission at 16:30, closed at 17:30

Closed on Mondays (except for statutory national holidays)

Representative Exhibits of Nationl Museum

▶ Level -1: permanent exhibition Ancient China, public service areas, Broadcasting Room, Theatre and Lecture Hall.

▶ Level 0: the pathway, exhibitions.

▶ Level 1 & 2: North Galleries (N1-N4), South Galleries (S1-S5), the permanent exhibition The Road of Rejuvenation, public service areas and Central Hall (C1), West Hall, West Gate, North Gate.

▶ Level 3: public services areas, the permanent exhibition The Road of Rejuvenation, North Galleries (N8-N11) and South Galleries (S6-S10).

▶ Level 4: North Galleries (N16-N19), South Galleries (S11-S14), Central Hall 2 (C2).

Floor Plan of National Museum of China

Ancient China - Centerpiece of National Museum of China (Permanent Exhibit)

● Venue: Galleries N20 - N25, S15 - S18, S20 (Level -1)

"Ancient China" exhibits 2026 cultural relics, including 521 first-class cultural relics. It takes Dynasty replacement as the thread and precious cultural relics as the core of the exhibition, presenting the continuous political, economic, cultural and social development of Chinese civilization as well as China's foreign relations in different historical periods. Following the dynastic sequence, the exhibition can be divided into eight parts: the ancient period, Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou Dynasty (2070 BC - 771 BC), the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC), the Warring States Period (475 BC - 221 BC), Qin and Han Dynasty (221 BC - 220 AD), Three Kingdoms Period (220 AD - 280 AD), Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties Period (265 AD - 581 AD), Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties Period (581 AD - 979 AD), Liao, Song, Xia, Jin and Yuan Dynasties Period (949 AD - 1402 AD). By appreciating these exquisite exhibits in every dynasty, you can understand the general context of the development of Chinese culture and have a certain understanding of the cultural and artistic characteristics of each period.

Must-see collections including the world-renowned Sanxingdui bronze mask (about 3600-3100 years ago), Basin with a fish pattern with a human face (5000 BC - 3000 BC), the sacrificial Four-goat Sqaure Zun (1400 BC - 1100 BC), the vivid Tomb figurine of a storyteller in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD), the Jade Dragon symbolizing authority in neolithic (about 5000 years ago), the majestic and solemn Houmuwu square cauldron (1300BC - 1046 BC), the exquisite Phoenix crown of the Empress Xiaoduan from the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD), etc.

Phoenix Crown of the Empress Xiaoduan (1368 AD - 1644 AD)

Ancient Chinese Jades (Special Exhibit)

● Venue: Gallery S13 (Level 4)

At least 8,000 years ago, Chinese ancestors discovered a beautiful stone, jade. Ancient Chinese believed that jade is the quintessence of heaven and earth. It is sacred, often personified, and endowed with aesthetic values, even in modern times, some certain kind of jade is also expensive. The National Museum of China has more than 80,000 ancient jades, all of which are considered by scholars to be the most representative jades in China from the Neolithic (about 5000 years ago) to the Qing Dynasty (1616 AD -1912 AD). They reflect the traditions and aesthetic tastes of the ancient Chinese people.

Step down from the white marble base at the rear of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, a wide courtyard separates the outer court from the inner court.

Jade Dragon (Neolithic Period about 5000 years ago)

Ancient Chinese Porcelain Art (Special Exhibit)

● Venue：Gallery N17 (Level 4)

Chinese Porcelain has a long history. The National Museum of China has a rich collection of porcelains and has selected more than 100 pieces (sets) for display. The exhibits ranged from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 771 BC) to the late Qing Dynasty (1616 AD - 1912 AD). Among them, there are several masterpieces in the history of Porcelain, such as lotus-pattern Celadon of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 AD - 581 AD), olive-green porcelain of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), cloud-dragon-pattern blue-and-white jar of the Yuan Dynasty, Peony-pattern blue and white trays, etc.

Multicolored Porcelain (1368 AD - 1912 AD)

Ancient Chinese Money (Special Exhibit)

● Venue: Gallery S11 (Level 4)

The earliest money in China appeared at least in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 771 BC) and developed in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC - 256 BC). During the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 207 BC), the emperor unified various currencies. Chinese money is also famous for its excellent calligraphy and casting skills.

There are more than 1700 items on display, including early shells, knife-shaped coins, round coins and coins with a square hole in the middle. These coins have been used for more than 2000 years, and the machine-made copper or silver coins appeared in the late Qing Dynasty (1616 AD - 1912 AD).

Ancient Chinese Money Exhibition

Ancient Chinese Buddhist Sculpture (Special Exhibit)

● Venue：Gallery N19 (Level 4)

After Buddhism spread into China around the 1st century A.D, it gradually reformed under the influence of Chinese culture. The themes, materials and crafts of ancient Chinese Buddhist sculptures vary from region to time. These sculptures show the evolution of Chinese Buddhist sculptures and inspire ancient Chinese people's understanding of Buddhist philosophy through artistic expression.

Buddha Sculpture Exihibition

● Venue : Gallery N1 - N2 (Level 1 & 2)

Blanc De China or White from China is the name given to porcelains produced in Dehua Town where the procelains there are purely and warmly white with glossy glaze. The De White Porcelain exhibition holds over 400 ceramics and other cultural relics from the shipwrecks and sea trade as well as important ruins, archaeological data of shipwrecks, and related research findings along the Maritime Silk Road, as well as fineexquisite modern artworks. Based on porcelains, the exhibition presents Chinese ceramic system including production, transportation, marketing, etc., and its influence to the society, illustrating the flourishing sea trade development of ancient Chinese ceramics which can be dated initially back to the Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties (618 AD - 979 AD), through the most prosperous the Song and Yuan dynasties (960 AD - 1368 AD) to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 AD - 1840 AD).

Representative Exhibits of Dehua White Porcelain Exhibition

National Museum is located right in the city center of Beijing. It is very close to Tiananmen Square and reachable to Forbidden City within 15min on foot.

◣ Address: 北京市东城区东长安街16号, East side of Tian'anmen Square,16 East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, P. R. China.

• 1km from Forbidden City

• 5 km from Temple of Heaven

• 5 km from Beijing Hutongs

• 8 km (35 minutes' drive) from Beijing South Railway Station

• 10 km (40 minutes' drive) from Beijing West Railway Station

• 18 km (45 minutes' drive) from the Olympic Park

• 20 km (60 minutes' drive) from Summer Palace

• 34 km (45 minutes' drive) from Beijing Capital Airport

• 50 km (60 minutes' drive) from Beijing Daxing Airport

Tiananmen Square (天安门广场) is the heart of Beijing City and the largest center plaza in the world. It was first built in Ming Dynasty when Emperor Zhudi (朱棣) laid out the city of Beijing. It has been an imperial square enclosed by railings out the Forbidden Palace and civilians are forbidden to enter. As more than 500 years passed, Tiananmen Square became a diamond in the crown of Beijing. On 1st October 1949, Chairman Mao proclaimed the establishment of People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Gate. As a site of many important events, Tiananmen Square has a great political, historical and cultural significance.>>Read More

Forbidden City

Once forbidden and now permitted. It was an amazing experience visiting a huge palace once built by the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The cultural richness of china is truly reflected at this historical palace. Following the order of Emperor Yongle (Zhudi朱棣), Forbidden Citywas constructed from 1406, the fourth year of his reign. 14-years hardworking by one million civilian workers presented the largest ancient imperial architecture complex, 72 hectares area with 8703 rooms. It's truly a stunning masterpiece in Chinese architectural history.>>Read More

Tiananmen Square Forbidden City

As the capital city of China for centuries, Beijing is an internatinal metropolis with numerous historic scenic sites. Besides National Museum of China, you can also visit the Forbidden City to witness the royal buildings of the ancient China empire, hike on the incredible Great Wall, and wander along the traditional hutongs to experience the authentic local life...all of your dreams about Beijing can be tangible in our Beijing tours.

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