Located at No. 16 Fuxingmenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, the Capital Museum is a comprehensive museum integrating collection, exhibition, research, archaeology, public education, and cultural exchange. It is a national first-class museum and a national 4A-level tourist attraction. The museum has a total construction area of 63,390 square meters, with five above-ground floors and two underground floors, a exhibition hall area of 21,626 square meters, and a building height of 41 meters. It is composed of a rectangular exhibition hall, an oval special exhibition hall, and a strip-shaped office and research building. The design features rich national characteristics, reflecting the museum's grand and profound atmosphere.
History and Culture
The predecessor of the Capital Museum was the Preparatory Office of Beijing History and Revolution Museum established in 1953. It was officially named "Beijing Museum" in 1959 and renamed "Capital Museum" in 1975. In 2001, the Beijing Municipal Government decided to build a new museum, and the new Capital Museum was officially opened to the public on May 18, 2006.
The architectural design of the new museum integrates traditional elements and modern concepts. The extensive use of bronze, wood, and brick creates a strong cultural atmosphere. The museum houses more than 200,000 cultural relics, including 634 pieces (sets) of first-class cultural relics. The collections cover many categories such as bronze wares, porcelain, calligraphy and painting, jade articles, and coins, systematically displaying the historical changes and cultural inheritance of Beijing from prehistoric times to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
As an important cultural window in Beijing, the Capital Museum undertakes the important mission of promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture and spreading Beijing's historical culture. It shows the historical heritage and contemporary style of the capital to the public through various exhibitions and educational activities.
Main Attractions
Ancient Beijing Exhibition Hall
Located on the underground first floor, the exhibition area is 3,260 square meters. Taking the history of Beijing's urban construction as the main line, it displays the history of Beijing from the ancient period 460,000 years ago to 1949. The exhibits include stone tools unearthed from the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site, bronze wares from the Yan Capital Site of the Warring States Period, and cultural relics from the Ming and Qing imperial courts. Among them, "Boju Li" and "Blue and White Flat Pot with Sea Water and White Dragon Pattern" are national treasure-level cultural relics.
Old Beijing Folk Customs Exhibition Hall
Located on the fifth above-ground floor, the exhibition area is 1,500 square meters. Through scene restoration, physical display and other ways, it shows the folk cultures of old Beijing such as weddings and funerals, seasonal festivals, and commercial customs. The exhibition hall reproduces scenes such as quadrangle dwellings and old-fashioned shops, and displays Peking Opera costumes, traditional handicrafts, etc., vividly restoring the life style of old Beijing.
Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Porcelain Art
Located on the fourth above-ground floor, the exhibition area is 1,620 square meters, displaying more than 400 pieces of fine porcelain from the Neolithic Age to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Among them, precious porcelains such as the white-glazed jade-wall-bottom bowl of Xing Kiln in the Tang Dynasty, the moon-white-glazed bowl of Jun Kiln in the Northern Song Dynasty, and the blue-and-white can with interlaced lotus pattern in the Yuan Dynasty systematically show the development process and artistic achievements of Chinese porcelain.
Temporary Exhibitions
The museum regularly holds various temporary exhibitions covering domestic and foreign culture, art, historical relics and other fields, such as "Exhibition of Fine Ancient Buddhist Statue Art" and "Exhibition of Cultural Relics on the Silk Road". The exhibition venues are distributed in the special exhibition halls on each floor, and the exhibition period is usually 2-3 months.
Food
In-museum Catering
Museum Restaurant: Located on the underground first floor, it provides Chinese simple meals, set meals and special snacks, such as Beijing noodles with soybean paste and fried mixed vegetables. The price is 30-50 yuan per portion, and it can accommodate about 200 people dining at the same time.
Cafe: Located in the lobby on the first above-ground floor, it serves coffee, tea, desserts, etc. The environment is quiet and suitable for rest and communication. The price of single-item coffee is about 35 yuan per cup.
Surrounding Food
Old Beijing Copper Pot Shabu-Shabu: "Jubao Yuan (Niujie Store)" about 800 meters away from the museum is an old-fashioned shabu-shabu restaurant with fresh and tender meat and authentic sesame paste. The per capita consumption is about 100 yuan.
Beijing-style Home-cooked Dishes: "Siji Minfu (Xichang'an Street Store)" is about 1.2 kilometers away from the museum, specializing in Beijing-style dishes. Roast duck and roasted mutton are recommended. The restaurant is adjacent to the moat with beautiful scenery, and the per capita consumption is about 150 yuan.
Snack Street: Niujie Food Street is about 1 kilometer away from the museum, where you can taste traditional Beijing snacks such as pea cake, Lvdagun (glutinous rice rolls with soybean flour), and Aiwowo (steamed rice cake with sweet filling), as well as special foods such as Jubao Yuan buns and Baiji Nian Gao (rice cake).
Tickets
It is free to visit, and advance reservation is required. Special exhibitions need to be purchased separately, usually starting from 20 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "首都博物馆" on WeChat to get the latest updates or make online reservations for tickets.
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00-17:00 (entry stops at 16:00), closed on Monday (except legal holidays). It is closed on New Year's Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year every year. The specific opening hours are subject to the announcement on the museum's official website.
Tour Routes
3-hour In-depth Route: Underground 1st floor (Ancient Beijing Exhibition Hall) → 1st above-ground floor (lobby, temporary exhibitions) → 2nd above-ground floor (Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Porcelain Art) → 3rd above-ground floor (Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Calligraphy and Painting Art) → 4th above-ground floor (Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Jade Art) → 5th above-ground floor (Old Beijing Folk Customs Exhibition Hall).
2-hour Essence Route: Underground 1st floor (Ancient Beijing Exhibition Hall) → 4th above-ground floor (Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Porcelain Art) → 5th above-ground floor (Old Beijing Folk Customs Exhibition Hall) → 1st above-ground floor (temporary exhibitions).
Parent-child Interactive Route: Underground 1st floor (Ancient Beijing Exhibition Hall, focusing on dinosaur fossils and Peking Man Site models) → 5th above-ground floor (Old Beijing Folk Customs Exhibition Hall, experiencing folk customs scenes) → Underground 1st floor (resting in the museum restaurant) → 1st above-ground floor (participating in youth interactive experience projects).
Transportation
- Bus: Take buses No. 1, 21, 52, 65, 99, 308 and get off at "Trade Union Building" station, then walk about 300 meters; take buses No. 45, 80 and get off at "Baiyun Road" station, then walk about 500 meters.
- Subway: Take Line 1 to "Muxidi" station, exit C1, and walk about 800 meters; take Line 9 to "Military Museum" station, exit E2, and walk about 1.2 kilometers.
- Self-driving: The museum's underground parking lot is open to the public with about 200 parking spaces. The parking fee is 10 yuan per hour. There are also social parking lots around, such as Fuxing Commercial City Parking Lot, with a parking fee of 15 yuan per hour.
Must-visit Attractions
- Ancient Beijing Exhibition Hall: Systematically understand the historical changes of Beijing, and focus on watching exhibits such as "Boju Li", "Bronze wares unearthed from the Western Zhou Yan Capital Site", and "Model of the Yuan Dadu City Wall Site".
- Old Beijing Folk Customs Exhibition Hall: Immersively experience the folk culture of old Beijing. It is recommended to watch the restored quadrangle dwelling scenes, traditional wedding custom displays, and old-fashioned shop models.
- Exhibition Hall of Fine Ancient Porcelain Art: Appreciate the precious porcelain of past dynasties, and focus on rare cultural relics such as "Blue and White Flat Pot with Sea Water and White Dragon Pattern", "Jun Kiln Moon White Glaze Bowl", and "Ru Kiln Sky Blue Glaze Washer".
Tour Suggestions
- Make an appointment on the official website or WeChat public account 1-3 days in advance. Make an appointment as early as possible on weekends and holidays to avoid full capacity.
- Bring the original ID card. The ID information will be verified when entering the museum. Failure to bring an ID card may result in being unable to enter.
- There are many exhibition halls in the museum. It is recommended to get a guide map first, plan the tour route, and focus on the exhibition halls you are interested in.
- You can rent a voice guide (30 yuan per unit, deposit 200 yuan) or follow the museum's WeChat public account to get free voice explanations to deeply understand the stories behind the exhibits.
- When visiting with children, you can download the museum's parent-child guide handbook in advance to increase children's interest in visiting.
Precautions
- Smoking and eating (except in designated areas) are prohibited in the museum. Please do not make loud noises in the exhibition halls and maintain a quiet visiting environment.
- Photography is prohibited for some exhibits (with obvious signs). Do not use flash when taking photos to avoid damaging the cultural relics.
- The museum has a luggage storage office located at the entrance of the underground first floor, which can store small items for free. Storage of flammable, explosive and other dangerous items is prohibited.
- The exhibition halls are dimly lit and the floor is smooth. Please pay attention to foot safety, take care of the elderly and children, and avoid crowding and pushing.
- In case of major events or equipment maintenance, the museum may be temporarily closed or the open areas may be adjusted. Please check the official website or public account notice before traveling.