Capital Museum

Capital Museum

The Capital Museum is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a science education base, and a patriotism education base.

The Capital Museum began preparations in 1953 and officially opened to the public in 1981. Its original site was the "Beijing Confucius Temple." Construction of the new Capital Museum officially commenced in December 2001. The new museum began trial operations in December 2005 and officially opened on May 18, 2006. The positioning of the Capital Museum determined the composition of its exhibitions: permanent displays, premium exhibits, and temporary exhibitions. The core of the museum’s exhibitions showcases the magnificent and splendid culture of Beijing and the continuously evolving and glorious history of the capital city’s development, establishing it as a flagship exhibition for creating a first-class museum in China.

The Capital Museum is a large comprehensive museum in the Beijing area and is among China’s provincial and municipal-level comprehensive museums. It began preparations in 1953 and officially opened to the public in October 1981. At that time, the museum was located within the Confucius Temple on Guozijian Street in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The Confucius Temple covers an area of 22,000 square meters and was built in the sixth year of the Yuandade era (1302 AD) during the Yuan Dynasty. After successive renovations, its three courtyards have been well preserved. Key structures include the Gate of the First Teacher, the Dacheng Gate, the Dacheng Hall, and the Hall of Venerating Saints. The Forest of Stone Tablets Inscribed with the Names of Successful Imperial Examination Candidates from the Ming and Qing Dynasties is unique in China. The side halls were converted into exhibition spaces, covering an area of over 2,000 square meters, offering a tranquil and elegant environment.

To accommodate more collections and serve a larger number of visitors, in 1999, as a key cultural construction project during Beijing’s Tenth Five-Year Plan period, the application for the new Capital Museum project was approved by the Beijing Municipal Government. Construction officially commenced in December 2001. The new Capital Museum officially opened on May 18, 2006, making its debut along the western extension of Beijing’s First Avenue — Chang’an Avenue, located on the west side of Baiyun Road in Xicheng District (No. 16 Fuxingmen Outer Street). The new Capital Museum is a modern comprehensive museum equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The exhibitions in the new museum are based on the Capital Museum’s historical collections and unearthed artifacts from the Beijing area, incorporating the latest research findings in Beijing’s history, cultural relics, archaeology, and related disciplines, while drawing on successful experiences from museums both domestically and internationally, resulting in a uniquely Beijing-style modern exhibition. The old Capital Museum, located within the Confucius Temple,

With its grand architecture, rich exhibitions, advanced technology, and comprehensive functions, it has become a large-scale modern museum befitting Beijing’s status as a “famous historical and cultural city,” a “cultural center,” and an “international metropolis.” It ranks among the “top domestic and internationally advanced” museums.

The Capital Museum is a modern comprehensive museum equipped with the most advanced facilities. It is a large-scale modern cultural facility invested in by the Beijing Municipal Government for the 21st century and one of the iconic buildings of Beijing in the new century. For its outstanding contributions to the reform and development of the cultural heritage protection cause, on May 24, 2007, the Capital Museum was awarded the title of National Advanced Collective in the Cultural Relics System by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Suggested Duration

2–4 hours

Transportation

1. Subway: Muxidi Station on Line 1

2. Bus Routes:

Get off at Gonghui Building on Routes 1, 4, or 52

Get off at South Exit of Sanlihe East Road on Route 37

Get off at Baiyun Road on Routes 45, 26, 727, or 717

Get off at Baiyun Road on Route 937

Ticket

Free admission; advance reservation required, with a maximum of 5 tickets per person per visit.

Online Reservation: www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/zjsb/pwfw.htm

Phone Reservation: Individuals 010-63393339, Groups 010-63370458; reservations accepted daily from 9:00–17:00, with same-day ticket reservations closing at 12:00

Ticket Collection & Entry Time: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–16:00, closed on Mondays

Ticket Collection & Entry Location: Individual visitors collect tickets at the North Gate; groups and tour agencies collect tickets at the East Gate on the B1 level

Opening Hours

9:00–17:00, last entry at 16:00, closed on Mondays (except public holidays)

Location

No. 16 Fuxingmen Outer Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· National First-Class Museum of China