Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization

　　  AttractionIntroduction
　　        The Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization is located near the classic Beijing Grand View Garden. It is a quiet and distinctive museum and also one of the first privately-run museums in Beijing. It officially opened on June 15, 1997. The museum’s address is No. 12, Nancaiyuan West Street, Xuanwu District, Beijing.

　　　　The Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization is a themed museum dedicated to pottery culture. Pottery is the herald of human civilization and the origin of human art, often praised as the "art of the five elements." It also represents the pinnacle of beauty and wisdom achieved by the Chinese nation. The collection includes over 1,000 pieces of painted pottery from the Neolithic Age and pottery from the Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties, over 300 roof tiles from the Warring States, Qin, and Han periods, and more than 1,000 clay seals from the Qin and Han dynasties, along with approximately 2,000 other related ancient pottery artifacts. Together, they form an almost complete and vivid history of ancient pottery civilization.

　　　　In addition to organizing exhibitions, the museum is also committed to exploring the potential charm and practical value of its collections. This includes designing and producing a variety of tourism handicrafts such as curtains, fabric bags, original rubbings, and screen-printed products.

　　　　Many of the items in the collection are rare and unique, with the section on Qin dynasty clay seals being regarded as the first “Register of Officials” and “Geography” of a unified Chinese feudal dynasty, serving as the foundational archives of China’s millennia-old political system. The permanent exhibition of the Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization consists of nearly 600 exhibits across four sections: “Treasury of Painted Pottery,” “Grand View of Roof Tiles,” “Echoes of Clay Seals,” and “Series of Ancient Pottery.” Alongside the museum’s collections, various artworks by Lu Dongzhi created in multiple artistic languages are also displayed. The rich and systematic collection of pottery forms a small museum with a notable academic atmosphere.   Best Time to Visit
　　Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 (Closed on Mondays)   Transportation Information
　　Transportation: Take bus routes 19, 59, 61, 351, 819, or 122 and get off at the Grand View Garden stop.   

"The Museum’s Treasure –Golden Crow Roof Tile, is an important architectural component from the Ganquan Palace of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' describes that in ancient times, the ten suns in the solar mythology were the sons of Emperor Jun and Xihe. They possessed both human and divine traits, and were also manifestations of the Golden Crow—three-legged crows that were radiant sunbirds. Each morning, one would take turns rising from the sacred Fusang tree in the east, flying from east to west, and in the evening, they would rest on the sacred Ruomu tree in the west."