10 Must-Visit Museums and Art Galleries in Beijing (by Xiaotianmu)

📍 Beijing · 👁 3 reads · ❤️ 85 likes

Beijing is the cultural and artistic heart of China. It is said that there are over 300 museums and art galleries of various sizes within the city.

We have visited more than 30 museums and art galleries so far. Some are state-run, large-scale venues, such as the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the National Art Museum of China, the Beijing Museum of Natural History, the Beijing Planetarium, the Capital Museum, the China National Film Museum, the Paleozoological Museum of China, the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, the Beijing Stone Carving Art Museum, the Beijing Folk Custom Museum, the China Millennium Monument Art Museum, and the National Museum of Classic Books. These museums require dedicated time for a thorough visit.

There are also smaller museums integrated into scenic spots, like the Prince Gong's Mansion Museum, the Temple of Confucius and the Imperial College Museum, the Zhengyangmen Gate, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the Shuangqing Villa in Fragrant Hills, the Yuanmingyuan Exhibition Hall, the Yonghe Temple Tibetan Buddhist Art Museum, the Bell and Drum Towers (Beijing Bell and Drum Towers Cultural Relics Management Office), the Temple of Ancient Monarchs, the Beijing Red Mansion Culture and Art Museum, the Juyongguan Great Wall Museum, the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Dongsi Hutong Museum, the Tianqiao Museum, and others. You can visit these while touring the scenic areas.

There are also outstanding private museums, such as the Guanfu Museum, the Poly Art Museum, the Red Brick Art Museum, the Luo Hong Photography Art Museum, the Vivi Neo Fragrance Art Gallery, and the Qiaofu Contemporary Art Museum.

China's museums are graded into levels, from high to low: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Currently, all museums in Beijing require advance reservation one day ahead; visitors without a reservation cannot enter on-site.

A friendly tip: Download the 'Beijing Local Treasure App' via WeChat. It provides introductions to various museums and parks, reservation and ticket purchase portals, travel guides, audio guides, and more—very convenient.

Based on our personal preferences, here are the 10 most worthwhile museums and art galleries in Beijing: the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Military Museum, the National Art Museum of China, the Beijing Museum of Natural History, the Beijing Planetarium, the Capital Museum, the China National Film Museum, the Beijing Stone Carving Art Museum, and the Guanfu Museum. Among these, the first six are must-visits.

The Palace Museum is the premier museum in China and is also acclaimed as one of the world's top five palaces (alongside the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in the UK, the White House in the US, and the Kremlin in Russia). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Forbidden City was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420) and has a history of 600 years. It served as the imperial palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties, formerly known as the Forbidden City, and housed 24 emperors.

[Video: Overlooking the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City]

The Forbidden City is the pinnacle of ancient Chinese palatial architecture and one of the largest and best-preserved wooden structures in the world.

Visitors entering the Forbidden City will explore: first, the palace architecture; second, the outer court where the emperor and his ministers conducted state affairs; third, the inner court where the empress and concubines lived; fourth, the cultural relics and exhibitions; and fifth, the opportunity to purchase exclusive Palace Museum-themed creative products.

The outer court features the Three Great Halls: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

On either side of the Three Great Halls, you can also visit the Hall of Literary Glory and the Hall of Martial Valor.

Beside the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the famously small 'Grand Council'—where critical state decisions were made—is just a row of modest single-storey rooms, illustrating the stark power dynamics between the emperor and his officials.

The inner court showcases the three main palaces: the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. The folk saying 'three palaces and six courtyards' refers to these three palaces.

These three palaces were where the emperor handled daily affairs and lived with the empress. The Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the empress's residence, is vast and symbolized immense authority.

On both wings of the three palaces lie the living quarters of the imperial consorts: the Six Eastern Palaces and the Six Western Palaces. These palaces are much smaller, worlds apart from the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. For example, the Palace of Heavenly Favor, which abuts the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, is just a small courtyard compound. No wonder the competition among empresses and concubines was so fierce—everyone wanted to move into a bigger dwelling.

With the popularity of palace dramas, certain palaces in the Six Eastern and Western Palaces have become online sensations, like the Palace of Prolonging Happiness, now a popular photo spot.

The Palace Museum houses permanent galleries, including the Treasure Gallery, the Theater Gallery, the Stone Drum Gallery, the Clock and Watch Gallery, the Painting and Calligraphy Gallery, the Ceramics Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, the Ancient Architecture Gallery, the Bronze Gallery, the Armaments Gallery, and the Furniture Gallery.

Exhibition halls at the Meridian Gate, the Palace of Abstinence, the Palace of Eternal Longevity, the Gate of Divine Might, and the Palace of Great Benevolence host temporary shows, such as 'Everlasting Splendor: Six Centuries at the Forbidden City,' and occasionally joint exhibitions with foreign museums.

[Video: Six Centuries at the Forbidden City exhibition]

The Forbidden City is vast, with a legendary 9,999.5 rooms, earning it the nickname 'the sea of halls.' A visit can take anywhere from half a day for a quick tour to more than a full day for a detailed exploration.

The popularity of palace dramas has created many Instagram-worthy spots within the Forbidden City, complete with photo maps that visitors eagerly follow.

One popular spot: red walls framing a persimmon tree.

From time to time, beauties dressed as imperial princesses or in Manchu attire can be seen weaving through the crowds, posing for photos or live-streaming.

In recent years, dressing in imperial costume for photos in the Forbidden City has become a trend.

Even elderly ladies join in the fun.

The Forbidden City is not only a museum but also a national 5A-level scenic spot, so entry requires a ticket. In peak season (April–October), it costs 60 yuan per person; in off-peak (November–March), 40 yuan; visitors over 60 enter free. Additional tickets are needed for the Treasure Gallery and the Clock and Watch Gallery, 10 yuan each.

With savvy marketing and the internet, more and more influencers live-stream from the Forbidden City. In November 2020, after Beijing's first snowfall, a long line of costumed 'princesses' formed outside the gate, outnumbering regular tourists.

The National Museum of China is on the west side of Tiananmen Square, facing the Great Hall of the People. Admission is free.

It has been named the world's most popular museum, drawing the largest number of visitors globally, truly the hottest and most beloved museum.

The museum is colossal, spanning five floors including the basement—the largest museum we have ever visited.

[Video: Lobby of the National Museum]

In December 2020, we spent two full days just skimming through all 21 galleries open at the time.

The museum is centered around a central hall exhibition area, with southern and northern wings.

These two wings contain dozens of galleries.

Exhibitions are categorized as: permanent displays, thematic exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, international exchange exhibitions, and the museum's traveling exhibitions.

There are two permanent galleries: 'Ancient China' and 'The Road to Rejuvenation.' Both are large and demand significant time (other galleries are smaller). The Ancient China gallery is the largest, occupying most of the basement floor and is the most rewarding.

The Ancient China gallery follows the succession of dynasties, divided into eight sections: the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, the Xia, Shang and Western Zhou dynasties, the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, the Qin and Han dynasties, the Three Kingdoms, the Western and Eastern Jin, and Southern and Northern dynasties, the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, the Liao, Song, Western Xia, Jin and Yuan dynasties, and the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The Road to Rejuvenation gallery traces events from the Opium War of 1840, through the founding of New China, to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

[Giant sculpture in The Road to Rejuvenation gallery]

There are numerous thematic exhibitions: 'Ancient Chinese Jade Art,' 'Ancient Chinese Coins,' 'Ancient Chinese Buddhist Sculpture,' 'Ancient Chinese Porcelain Art,' 'Ancient Chinese Painting and Calligraphy,' and many more.

Temporary exhibitions include several types: themed exhibitions, feature exhibitions, historical and cultural exhibitions, archaeological discovery exhibitions, regional culture exhibitions, and classic fine art exhibitions. Themed exhibitions include 'Classic Art from the Museum's Collection' and 'Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Taiwan's Liberation.'

Among the classic art works: the microphone and ceremonial cannon used when Chairman Mao raised the first five-star red flag at the founding ceremony; the large red lanterns hanging on the Tiananmen Gate; the first plaque of the Central People's Government and the seals of its various departments; and masterpieces like the painting 'The Founding Ceremony' and 'The Five Heroes of Langya Mountain.'

Feature exhibitions include 'Buddhist Statues from Boxing, Shandong' and 'Ming and Qing Portraits from the National Museum Collection.'

Historical and cultural exhibitions include 'Ancient Chinese Bronze Mirror Culture,' 'The Grand Canal Culture,' 'Ancient Chinese Ceramics Maritime Trade,' and 'Ancient Chinese Musical Instruments.'

Archaeological discovery exhibitions include 'Archaeological Findings from Jiuwutou, Shanxi' and 'Hongshan Culture Archaeological Achievements.'

A notable item from Hongshan: the so-called 'First Dragon of Ancient China,' which now serves as the logo of Huaxia Bank.

Regional culture exhibitions include 'Shandong Folk Arts' and 'Fujian Traditional Crafts.'

Classic fine art exhibitions include 'Chinese Sketches' and 'Gansu Painted Pottery Art.'

In the museum's public spaces, there are also displays like 'Sculptures from the Collection,' 'Longquan Celadon and Blue-and-White Porcelain,' 'Stone Buddhist Statues from the Collection,' and 'Song Dynasty Stone Carving Art.'

The museum's collections are seemingly endless—even the hallway of the cafeteria is lined with artifacts, dazzling to the eye. (The cafeteria only offers snacks like instant noodles, so it's wise to bring your own food.)

The museum frequently hosts major national exhibitions, such as the 2018 'Great Transformation—Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up.'

The Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution is at No. 9 Fuxing Road, Haidian District. Its main building is one of the ten great architectural projects built as a gift for the 10th National Day. Admission is free.

This museum is a paradise for military enthusiasts, showcasing various aircraft, tanks, missiles, satellites, guns, and cannons—thousands upon thousands, too many to count.

Three floors are open, featuring themed exhibitions and permanent displays across 11 galleries. In 2020, we spent two days here to see everything.

The 2020 themed exhibition was 'Remembering the Great Victory, Defending Peace and Justice—Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers Entering the Korean War.'

This exhibition was chronologically arranged, with seven sections: the prologue hall, 'Justice and Responsibility—Decision to Send Troops,' 'Mobile Operations to Stabilize the Front,' 'Fighting and Negotiating to Strengthen,' 'Armistice and Victorious Return,' and 'The Great Significance and Historic Contribution of the Victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.'

[Exhibition: Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea]

[Video: Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea Exhibition]

Permanent displays include: 'Revolutionary Wars Led by the Communist Party of China,' 'Weaponry,' 'China's Military Through the Ages,' and 'Military Science and Technology.'

The 'Revolutionary Wars Led by the CPC' gallery mainly showcases achievements from 1921 to 1949, before the founding of the PRC.

The Weapons display is split into three areas. The first is the ground-floor central hall, crowded with planes, missiles, and naval vessels, suspended in midair or parked on the floor.

The most eye-catching piece in the central hall is a giant Chinese-made H-6 heavy bomber, far larger than ordinary passenger planes.

[Video: Aircraft display in the central hall]

The second weapons area occupies three corridors on the second floor, displaying handguns, rifles, submachine guns, machine guns, ammunition, and edged weapons.

Thousands of pieces of equipment—used, captured, or developed by our military—dazzle the eyes.

The third weapons area is the basement central hall, showcasing tanks and armored vehicles, various artillery pieces, wreckage of a U-2 spy plane, and a Hongqi-2 missile.

Only when you see them in person do you realize how formidable tanks and armored vehicles are; a single grenade could never destroy one—some absurd Chinese anti-Japanese war dramas are pure exaggeration.

[Video: Tanks and armored vehicles display]

'China's Military Through the Ages' mainly traces the military development of the Chinese nation from the pre-Qin era to the founding of the Republic of China.

The 'Military Science and Technology' section features separate galleries for: Army Heavy Weapons Technology, Army Light Weapons Technology, Army Aviation Weapons Technology, Naval Weapons Technology, Air Force Weapons Technology, Missile Weapons Technology, and the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Weapons and Technology.

[Display in Army Light Weapons Technology gallery]

The Air Force Weapons Technology area features one of China's advanced fighters: the J-10.

In the Army Heavy Weapons Technology section, the Chinese-made 'Type 99A Main Battle Tank' draws attention.

The Nuclear Weapons and Peaceful Use area displays models of China's first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb.

Outside the museum, various monumental sculptures depicting military themes stand in the grounds.

The National Art Museum of China is at No. 1 Wusi Street, Dongcheng District. The building is one of the ten great structures built for the 10th anniversary of the PRC. Admission is free.

It is a national art museum focusing on works by modern and contemporary Chinese artists. The six-story building houses 21 exhibition halls.

The museum generally has no permanent exhibitions; each month's shows may differ, making it worthwhile for art lovers to visit multiple times.

In September 2020, when we visited, there were five exhibitions: 'Japanese Ukiyo-e from the Collection,' 'Qing Dynasty Woodblock New Year Prints Masterpieces,' 'Empowering Through Art: Poverty Alleviation Artworks,' 'Highlights from the Collection,' and 'Tibetan and Qinghai Thangka Exhibition.'

As China's top art museum, it often hosts national-level exhibitions.

[Japanese Ukiyo-e exhibition]

The museum frequently co-organizes exhibitions with foreign art institutions, giving visitors access to the world's finest artworks without leaving the country.

[A work of Japanese Ukiyo-e]

The collection exceeds 100,000 pieces, though most are not always on public display.

The core of the collection comprises works from around the founding of New China, alongside masterpieces from the late Ming, Qing, and early Republican periods.

Highlights include modern and contemporary art masterpieces, representative works by renowned contemporary Chinese artists, award-winning pieces from major exhibitions, and folk art.

[Qing Dynasty woodblock New Year print]

The collection features works by artists like Wu Changshuo, Huang Binhong, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Li Keran, Wu Zuoren, and Wu Guanzhong.

[Artwork by Qi Baishi at age 93]

'Empowering Through Art: Poverty Alleviation Artworks' exhibition.

This exhibition showcases artistic interpretations of poverty relief, productive labor, and related themes over the past 70 years.

[Artwork from the poverty alleviation exhibition]

[Another artwork from the poverty alleviation exhibition]

Tibetan and Qinghai Thangka exhibition.

[Tibetan and Qinghai Thangka]

Around the museum building lies a sculpture garden featuring various artistic works.

The Beijing Museum of Natural History is at 126 South Tianqiao Street, Dongcheng District. Admission is free.

It is a natural history museum focusing on specimens in paleontology, zoology, botany, and anthropology.

Its galleries are fairly permanent: The World of Plants, Ancient Mammals, Ancient Reptiles, The Origin of Humans, Inside the Human Body, The Prosperity of Invertebrates, Animals—Friends of Mankind, an Aquatic Life Hall, Dinosaur Park, and Amazing Africa.

The World of Plants helps visitors understand the plant kingdom, covering land plant evolution, plant functions, and modern landscapes from multiple angles.

The hall showcases the allure of plants comprehensively.

[World of Plants gallery]

The Ancient Mammals hall displays representative species from major mammalian evolutionary lineages, introducing proboscideans, perissodactyls, artiodactyls, carnivores, primates, and more.

Arranged chronologically, key specimens include Juramaia, Xiangshou, Jieguwu, Saber-toothed tiger, giant hyena, three-toed horse, the Yellow River mammoth, woolly mammoth, giant rhinoceros, and Hezheng sheep.

The Ancient Reptiles hall recreates the world of over 200 million years ago, using creatures like Coelacanth, Ichthyostega, Caecilian, and Dimetrodon to demonstrate the complex transition of vertebrates from water to land.

At the hall's center stands a group of dinosaur skeletons: Lufengosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Deinonychus, Tuojiangosaurus, Yongchuanosaurus, and Ichthyosaur.

The Origin of Humans hall addresses two key questions: 'Who are we?' and 'Where do we come from?'

It displays hominid fossils and stone tools charting the journey from ape and Ardipithecus to modern humans.

Inside the Human Body is a science exhibit systematically explaining human anatomy.

The Prosperity of Invertebrates hall covers fossil formation, the origin of life, the Cambrian Explosion, and the flourishing of invertebrates, featuring protozoa, sponges, cnidarians, brachiopods, mollusks, arthropods, and echinoderms.

Animals—Friends of Mankind displays precious animal specimens from the collection, a vibrant 'animal kingdom.'

The exhibits include not only China's first- and second-class protected animals but also rare specimens donated from abroad.

The Aquatic Life Hall resembles a miniature marine life museum, showcasing various fish.

The goldfish are especially eye-catching, including the popular Bubble Eye goldfish.

Dinosaur Park presents dozens of lifelike dinosaurs and pterosaurs, reflecting different periods of the dinosaur world.

What fascinates children most is how realistic the reconstructions are: they can shake their heads and tails, bare fangs and claws, roar, blink, and even simulate breathing.

Amazing Africa mainly features the continent's most representative wildlife.

The Beijing Planetarium is on Xizhimen Outer Street. It is the largest planetarium in China and the first large-scale planetarium in Asia.

In addition to popularizing astronomy, it is also a national 4A tourist attraction, so entry requires a ticket. Two ticket types: gallery ticket, 10 yuan (free for seniors over 60); theater ticket, 45–30 yuan (not free for seniors, but discounted).

The planetarium comprises two buildings, A and B, and four science theaters. Building A is the older structure, while Building B, a modern building, is the main exhibition area.

The highlight is watching astronomy films. The largest Sky Theater screens 'The Enchanted Starry Sky' and 'UFOs and Aliens'; the Cosmos Theater shows 'The Mysterious Interstellar Space' and 'Heavenly Palaces'; the 4D Theater screens 'Impact and Life' and 'Journey Through the Cambrian'; the 3D Theater shows 'To the Moon.'

Films run at set times, each lasting about 35 to 17 minutes. As the theaters are small and visitors are many, tickets can sell out on-site, or you might get poor seats. It's best to plan ahead and buy theater tickets online (theater tickets include gallery admission).

Building B has four floors. The ground floor hosts the 'Cosmic Journey' exhibition with sections on the Solar Family, Walking on the Moon, Meteorite Tribe, Constellations Revealed, Mysteries of the Universe, The Colorful Cosmos, Giant Eyes Surveying the Heavens, Star Companions, Cosmic Lighthouses, and the Solar Science Hall.

[Lunar and meteorite display area]

[Chinese lunar rover]

The basement floor (B1) features the 'Shuttle Through the Universe' exhibition, covering cosmic evolution, scales of the universe, exoplanets, gravitational lensing, escaping black holes, celestial systems, and time-space travel.

The second floor hosts the 'Cosmic Storm' exhibition, showcasing deep-sky objects like galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae.

Building B contains three science theaters: the Cosmos Theater, 4D Theater, and 3D Theater. The 18-meter-diameter Cosmos Theater features a standard hemispherical dome screen, offering a spectacular 3D celestial effect for 200 viewers simultaneously—unique in mainland China.

We managed to buy seats near the front of the Cosmos Theater (the further back the better) and watched 'The Mysterious Interstellar Space' leaning back almost horizontally to view the dome.

Building A's Sky Theater is the largest horizontal-style planetarium in mainland China, with the world's highest-resolution full-dome digital projection system.

The Sky Theater is the largest and the most sought-after film venue, capable of realistically presenting over 9,000 stars visible to the naked eye to an audience of 400. (We missed the timing and couldn't watch it.)

Building A also hosts temporary exhibitions, such as 'Searching for Another Earth—From Exoplanets to Extraterrestrial Civilizations' and 'Antique Telescopes.'

[Antique telescopes exhibition]

The planetarium also includes the Beijing Ancient Observatory, located near Jianguomen, a separate site. This was the imperial observatory of the Ming and Qing dynasties and requires its own ticket.

The Capital Museum is at 16 Fuxingmenwai Street, Xicheng District. Admission is free.

It is a comprehensive provincial-level museum focusing on the history, artifacts, and distinctive features of the Beijing area.

The museum building is modern, with five floors above ground and two below. Exhibitions are divided into temporary, general permanent, premium, and thematic displays.

During our visit, there were two temporary exhibitions: 'Masterpieces from the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland' and 'Zodiac Culture for the Year of the Pig.'

The general permanent exhibitions are 'Ancient Capital Beijing: Chapters on History, Culture, and Urban Construction' and 'Old Capital Memories—Traditional Beijing Folk Customs.'

The premium exhibitions include 'Ancient Jade Art Masterpieces,' 'Yan Region Bronze Art Masterpieces,' 'Ancient Calligraphy Art Masterpieces,' 'Ancient Painting Art Masterpieces,' 'Ancient Porcelain Art Masterpieces,' 'Ancient Buddhist Art Masterpieces,' and 'Treasures of the Study.'

Thematic exhibitions include 'Cultural Relics from Ancient Buddhist Pagodas in Beijing.'

'Ancient Capital Beijing: Chapters on History, Culture, and Urban Construction' is the core of the museum, showcasing Beijing's historical journey from primitive settlement to New China's capital.

'Old Capital Memories—Traditional Beijing Folk Customs' displays aspects of Beijing's over 800-year history as a capital, including weddings, births, birthday celebrations, Chinese New Year, hutong life, commercial customs, and Peking opera.

[Object used for clearing the way with gongs]

[Peking opera artifacts from the collection]

The Capital Museum houses many treasures: bronzes, ceramics, Buddhist statues, jades, gold and silverware, coins, calligraphy, paintings, textiles, and scholar's objects.

The China National Film Museum is at 9 Nanying Road, Chaoyang District. It is the world's largest national-level professional film museum. Admission is free.

The striking building uses black as a base color, clad in metal panels with cut-out patterns, and is immense in scale.

The museum has four floors divided into an exhibition zone and a cinema zone. The exhibition zone has 21 galleries; the cinema zone features 6 screening halls, including an IMAX theater.

The central circular hall features a giant circular screen, used for gatherings and celebrations.

The ground floor hosts the themed exhibition 'Light and Shadow Celebrate a New Era,' showcasing the journey and achievements of Chinese cinema over the 70 years since the PRC's founding.

Floors two through four are permanent exhibitions: 'A Hundred Years of Splendor,' chronicling Chinese cinema from 1905 to 2005.

The introductory hall displays a 'Firsts of Chinese Cinema' board, noting the first Chinese film shot in 1905, the first people's film made in Yan'an in 1938, and seven firsts after 1949, marking the 'hundred-year journey' and 'century of splendor.'

The Film Art Exhibition Halls comprise 11 sections: 'The Invention of Cinema,' 'The Birth and Early Development of Chinese Cinema,' 'Chinese Cinema During the Revolutionary Wars,' 'The Creation and Development of New China's Cinema,' 'Chinese Cinema in the Reform and Opening Era,' 'Animation,' 'Children's Films,' 'Science and Education, Dubbed, and Newsreel Films,' 'Hong Kong and Macao Cinema,' and 'Taiwan Cinema.'

Gallery 1, 'The Invention of Cinema': On December 28, 1895, French inventors the Lumière brothers projected the world's first paid public film screening in Paris.

Gallery 3, 'Chinese Cinema During the Revolutionary Wars': A street scene from old Shanghai.

Gallery 4, 'The Creation and Development of New China's Cinema': The first time the new images of China's workers, peasants, and soldiers appeared on screen.

The Film Technology Exposition Area has 10 sections: 'Film Shooting,' 'Film Art Direction,' 'Special Cinematography,' 'Traditional Special Effects,' 'Digital Special Effects,' 'Sound Recording,' 'Editing,' 'Film Processing and Printing,' 'Animation,' and 'A Kaleidoscope of Film.'

The museum promotes many Instagram-worthy spots for visitors.

For example, in Gallery 11, 'Film Shooting,' there is a 'rural courtyard' where lights simulate various weather changes, from dawn to dusk and lightning to snow.

In Gallery 12, 'Film Art Direction,' there's a life-size 'small-town commercial street' built as the main set for the film 'The Lin Family Shop.'

[Video: The Lin Family Shop commercial street]

The Lin Family Shop and its owner.

In Gallery 14, 'Traditional Special Effects,' a stationary train carriage is surrounded by moving painted backdrops, creating the illusion of forward motion.

Of the six cinema halls, screenings in Hall 6 are free, while the others require tickets at varying prices.

The IMAX (Image Maximum) theater boasts the world's most advanced projection system, with a screen 27 meters wide and 21 meters high. Its lifelike sound far surpasses ordinary cinemas, offering what is called 'the ultimate film experience.' We watched the American film 'Tenet' in this theater—the experience, especially the audio, was superb and unlike anything we'd felt before.

The museum periodically holds cultural exchanges with foreign institutions, hosting 'International Film Festivals' such as Italian, Russian, and Spanish film weeks, featuring films rarely seen in local theaters.

It also holds 'Domestic Themed Film Series,' like 'Staying True to Our Original Aspiration—Red Films Celebrating the 19th National Congress' and retrospectives of directors like Xie Tieli or commemorations for actors like Zhao Dan on his centennial.

The Beijing Stone Carving Art Museum is located at 24 Wutasi Village, Haidian District, inside the Five Pagoda Temple. Adult tickets are 20 yuan; Beijing seniors enter free.

The museum is built on the ruins of a Ming Dynasty temple, the Temple of True Awakening, of which only the Diamond Throne Pagoda with its five small pagodas remains—hence the name 'Five Pagoda Temple.'

The pagoda is composed of a base, a pavilion, and five four-cornered close-eave pagodas. It's a solid brick-and-stone structure modeled after the Mahabodhi Temple style in India.

The base and the small pagodas are richly carved with exquisite Buddhist motifs, a rare large-scale ancient artwork.

In front of the pagoda stands a pair of male and female ginkgo trees over 600 years old—the female to the east, the male to the west. The best time to visit the Five Pagoda Temple is in November when the ginkgo leaves turn golden, offering multiple rewards.

As Beijing developed, many old buildings, streets, and tombs were demolished. Numerous stone carvings from various dynasties were collected and brought to the Five Pagoda Temple, leading to the founding of the Beijing Stone Carving Art Museum.

Centered around the pagoda, the museum displays over 500 stone artifacts both outdoors and indoors.

Highlights include Beijing's earliest extant Han Dynasty stone carvings, Northern Dynasties Buddhist statues, Tang and Ming epitaphs, Jin and Yuan stone sculptures, Qing Dynasty model calligraphy, and works by renowned calligraphers.

Outdoor display: Six carving zones flank the pagoda's east and west sides—tomb carvings, temple and monastery stelae, ancestral temple and tomb stelae, Jesuit missionary stelae, and a comprehensive stelae section.

[Tomb carving area]

[Temple and monastery stelae area]

[Ancestral temple and tomb stelae area]

[Jesuit stelae area]

[Comprehensive stelae area]

The outdoor area is not large; at a glance, it appears as a jumble of stones and can be viewed in an hour, though a connoisseur could spend much longer.

Flanking the site are the West and East Stelae Corridors, the Jinshi Gallery, and the Jinshi Academy.

Indoor display: Behind the pagoda lies a rear hall housing the 'Beijing Stone Carving and Culture Exhibition.'

Indoor exhibits include the city's oldest surviving stone Buddha statue, epitaphs from the Tang Dynasty onward, and exceptionally artistic Jin and Yuan stone carvings.

The Guanfu Museum is the largest private museum in Beijing, located at 18 Jinan Road, Zhangwanfen, Dashanzi, Chaoyang District. Tickets are 100 yuan; seniors half-price at 50 yuan.

Founded by renowned collector and connoisseur Mr. Ma Weidu, who serves as its director, the museum's gate is unassuming—a small single-story house.

The Guanfu Cats, a creation of Mr. Ma's imagination, appear everywhere. They are dubbed 'the most cultured cats in history.'

Upon entering, there is a 'Guanfu Cat Hall' housing live cats.

Indoors, you'll find Guanfu Cat cartoons, crafts, paintings, books, stamp albums, and more.

The museum includes galleries for Ceramics, Furniture, Oil Painting, Craftworks, Images and Shadows, and Doors and Windows, plus a multi-function hall.

The museum is decorated in a classical Chinese style, emphasizing an open format that encourages interaction between people and history and highlights the approachability of traditional culture.

The Ceramics Gallery displays representative pieces from the Tang, Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

Here, you can see all five great kiln wares of China (Ru, Jun, Guan, Ge, and Ding) together, along with Cizhou and Jingdezhen wares.

[Cizhou ware ceramics]

The Furniture Gallery spaces are dedicated to rosewood, red sandalwood, yellow rosewood, and wenge furniture, plus a reconstructed classical study.

The collection mainly consists of precious Ming and Qing furniture—the finest specialized display of antique furniture in China.

[Qing Dynasty red sandalwood furniture]

[Yellow rosewood furniture]

The Craftworks Gallery showcases ancient crafts: cloisonné, scholar's tools, bronzes, lacquerware, and copper-body painted enamel.

[Copper-body painted enamelware]

The Doors and Windows Gallery exhibits antique doors, windows, lattice panels, and railings from Ming and Qing residences along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers—a rare and unique topic nationally.

[These types of doors and windows are now nearly impossible to find on the market.]

The expansive screen doors are particularly majestic.

The Oil Painting Gallery displays works by renowned contemporary Chinese artists such as Chen Yifei, Yang Feiyun, Chen Yanning, Liu Wenjin, and Luo Zhongli, alongside modern sculptures.

It regularly exhibits important works by Chinese oil painters and sculptors, with themes changing periodically.

Having introduced the 10 most worthwhile museums and art galleries in Beijing, let's briefly highlight a few more distinctive ones.

The Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture is the first national-level museum themed on gardens, with free admission.

It focuses on collecting historical garden artifacts and showcasing the charm of garden art.

The museum comprises three intertwined sections: indoor exhibitions, outdoor exhibition gardens, and indoor courtyards, creating a seamless whole.

It presents various garden types: imperial, private, Jiangnan-style, northern, and Lingnan-style.

Outside the museum lies the even larger 'Beijing Garden Expo Park,' worth visiting in tandem.

The park was the site of the 9th China International Garden Expo in 2013 and contains a multitude of garden structures from home and abroad, offering even greater sightseeing value than the museum.

The Beijing Folk Custom Museum is housed within the Dongyue Temple, the city's only state-run folk custom museum. Admission is free.

The Dongyue Temple was once the largest center of the Zhengyi Daoist sect in northern China, primarily dedicated to the God of Mount Tai, Dongyue Dadi.

Inside, there is a dizzying number of halls—old and newly restored—packed together.

The rear building of the temple hosts the museum's display rooms, with year-round exhibitions of folk customs and artifacts.

The Poly Art Museum is a private museum, charging 20 yuan per person. It is small and can be visited in an hour or two.

It follows a refined, minimalist approach, focusing mainly on bronzes in just two galleries: 'Ancient Chinese Bronze Art Masterpieces' and 'Ancient Chinese Stone Buddhist Sculpture Masterpieces.'

[Exquisite stone Buddhist statues]

The museum houses rare treasures of global significance, such as the bronze animal heads from the Old Summer Palace: the ox, monkey, tiger, and pig heads.

The Paleozoological Museum of China is the first national-level museum dedicated to paleontological fossils and the largest of its kind in Asia. Admission is free.

It systematically introduces the origin and evolution of vertebrates.

Following the evolutionary sequence, it has two sections (the Paleovertebrate Hall and the Shuhua Paleoanthropology Hall) and four galleries (Ancient Fish and Amphibians, Ancient Reptiles and Birds, Ancient Mammals, and Ancient Humans and Paleolithic Tools).

With nearly a thousand specimens, its comprehensive collection is hailed as Asia's finest and China's best.

The China Millennium Monument Art Museum, located within the China Millennium Monument, primarily showcases world art.

Visiting its basic exhibitions is free, but some renowned special exhibitions require a separate ticket.

It frequently collaborates with foreign organizations on high-caliber shows like 'Italian Renaissance Art,' 'National Geographic Classic Photo Spectacular,' and 'Ice and Snow Art Welcoming the Winter Olympics.'

[Ice and Snow Art exhibition]

The National Museum of Classic Books, inside the National Library, focuses on book culture. Admission is free.

Using 'paper and script' as core elements, it displays everything from oracle bones over 3,000 years old to modern ethnic minority texts, renowned manuscripts, and Western rare books.

[National precious ancient texts]

The Red Brick Art Museum is a private museum whose defining feature is its red bricks. Entry costs 130 yuan per person.

Using red bricks as the primary material, with some blue bricks, it creates a contemporary landscape courtyard museum.

All its artworks are built with bricks—truly one of a kind in China.

The art on display is unique, offering an entirely new aesthetic experience.

The Luo Hong Photography Art Museum is a private museum. Tickets are 100 yuan; seniors half-price.

Its owner is Luo Hong, CEO of the cake giant 'Holiland.' Deep-pocketed and passionate about photography, he built this high-end photography museum.

Nearly a thousand works on display were all shot by Luo Hong himself, with an exhibition production quality that rivals the best in the country.

His photos, often from uninhabited regions like the Antarctic, Arctic, Africa, Xinjiang, and Tibet, are captured with top-of-the-line gear, off-road vehicles, and even helicopter support—his emotions flow freely; money does grant that freedom.

The Vivi Neo Fragrance Art Gallery is on Qianmen's Beijing Fun street. A private gallery, admission is free.

Unlike other art venues you appreciate with your eyes, this one is experienced with your nose.

The gallery is filled with fragrances; perfume has been elevated into a culture of scent.

The Qiaofu Contemporary Art Museum is located inside the Parkview Green Fangcaodi building, an innovative space combining contemporary art exhibitions, trendy shopping, and boutique hotels in Beijing. Admission is free.

Serving as a diversified art exchange platform, the complex integrates art, shopping, and dining—a slice of stylish Beijing life.

[Contemporary art works]

This concludes our introduction to some of the museums and art galleries we have visited in Beijing.

There are many other highly specialized museums in Beijing we have yet to visit: the China Railway Museum, the Geological Museum of China, the China Agricultural Museum, the China Chemical Museum, the China Aviation Museum, the Civil Aviation Museum, the China Science and Technology Museum, the Beijing Lu Xun Museum, the China Printing Museum, the China Numismatic Museum, the China Telecommunications Museum, the China National Post and Postage Stamp Museum, the Beijing Opera Museum, the Tank Museum, the Beijing Police Museum, the China Court Museum, the China Fire Museum, and more. We'll just have to visit them in the future. Thank you for reading!

Note: Xiaotianmu has published nearly 90 travelogues, covering foreign destinations like Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, the UAE, Nepal, Morocco, Tunisia, Russia, Thailand, Laos, South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bali, and domestic locations including Beijing, Tianjin, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Shandong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Anhui, Gansu, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Xiamen, Ejin Banner, and more. To view, please click on the blue 'Xiaotianmu' at the top or search 'Xiaotianmu's works' online. Thank you!

This is Xiaotianmu's travelogue work, No. 02 of 2021, total No. 090.

January 17, 2021

Travelogue Index

1. The Palace Museum (Level 1 Museum)

2. The National Museum of China (Level 1 Museum)

3. The Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution (Level 1 Museum)

4. The National Art Museum of China

5. The Beijing Museum of Natural History (Level 1 Museum)

6. The Beijing Planetarium (Level 1 Museum)

7. The Capital Museum (Level 1 Museum)

8. The China National Film Museum (Level 1 Museum)

9. The Beijing Stone Carving Art Museum (Level 3 Museum)