Cultural Palace of Nationalities

Cultural Palace of Nationalities

The Cultural Palace of Nationalities is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Destination Introduction

The Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing is situated on the north side of West Chang’an Avenue, adjacent to the bustling Xidan commercial district to the east and the Beijing Financial Street to the north. It is one of the Ten Great Buildings built for the 10th anniversary of the founding of New China. It was listed as one of the “New China Palaces” in the British-published "History of World Architecture," selected as one of the “Contemporary Chinese Architectural Art Masterpieces” at the Second Congress of the International Union of Architects in 1999, and ranked first among fifty selected buildings in the 1994 Beijing “My Favorite Ethnic Style Architecture” selection campaign.

Starting in 1998, the state invested 160 million RMB to carry out seismic reinforcement and comprehensive renovation of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities. The palace houses various institutions and facilities including an exhibition hall, expo hall, library, hotel, grand theater, and entertainment center. It integrates cultural exchange, dining, entertainment, and office spaces, making it an ideal venue for economic and cultural exchanges. The exhibition hall of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities features five exhibition halls covering 3,400 square meters and boasts strong capabilities in exhibition organization, design, and construction. It mainly organizes and hosts domestic and international economic and cultural exhibitions and trade fairs; provides exhibition venues and equipment rental to all sectors of society; undertakes overall design, artistic production, and other services for various exhibitions; organizes press conferences for exhibitions; and has large advertising billboards for creating advertisements for enterprises and their products.

The Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing is a high-rise tower-style building with traditional Chinese ethnic architectural features. Its pristine white structure is majestic beneath its peacock-blue glazed tile roof, with the main tower rising prominently, surrounded by fountains and flanked by two symmetrical wings.

The Exhibition Hall of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities primarily collects cultural relics of China’s ethnic minorities, researches and promotes outstanding traditional cultures of these groups, and showcases and publicizes the nation's ethnic policies and work. It fully reflects the tremendous achievements in ethnic work since the founding of the People’s Republic, as well as the significant contributions made by people of all ethnicities during the socialist revolution and construction.

The exhibition hall houses over 40,000 ethnic cultural relics and features five display halls with an exhibition area of more than 3,000 square meters. In September 1994, it launched the enriched permanent exhibition “Series Exhibition of Traditional Cultures of China’s Ethnic Minorities – Costumes, Musical Instruments, and Arts and Crafts.” The exhibition is divided into three sections: the first section displays ethnic costumes, showcasing garments and accessories of various minority groups categorized by long garments and two-piece attire; the second section presents ethnic musical instruments. Most ethnic minorities are known for their musical talents and dancing, with a long music culture. Here you can see deer horns and dragon whistles used by the Evenki and Oroqen hunters, bronze drums used by southern ethnic groups, and the complete set of instruments used for performing the “Twelve Muqam,” considered a musical treasure of the Uyghur people; the third section exhibits arts and crafts, showcasing the exquisite and colorful handicrafts created by the skilled artisans of China’s ethnic minorities.

Address: No. 49, Fuxingmennei Street, Xicheng District

Location: Located on the north side of West Chang’an Avenue in Beijing. Transportation Information

Transportation: Take bus routes 1, 4, 7, 10, 15, or 37 and get off at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities stop on the north side of the road.

Address: No. 49, Fuxingmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Recommended Visit Duration: 3–4 hours

Phone: 010-83195280 (Museum); 010-83195588 (Office)

Official Website: http://www.cpon.cn/

Opening Hours:

Museum & Exhibition Hall: 9:00–16:30 (last entry at 16:00, open only when there are exhibitions; please call for specific details); Theater hours vary depending on performances; Library: Monday–Friday 8:30–16:50; closed on weekends.

Ticket Information:

Free admission. Museum and Exhibition Hall are free (entry tickets available upon presenting ID); Theater ticket prices vary by performance; Library borrowing requires a reader’s card.