The National Museum of China is a comprehensive museum integrating history, culture and art.
I. Basic information
• Address: No. 16, East Chang'an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, located on the east side of Tiananmen Square.
• Opening hours: admission will be closed from 9:00 to 17:00 and 16:00 during the regular period; from June 1st to October 31st, it will be extended to 17:30 and 16:30. It is routinely closed on Monday, and it is also closed on New Year's Eve.
• Ticket policy: free and open, real-name reservation is required. There is no need to buy additional tickets for permanent exhibitions and most special exhibitions, and some immersive special exhibitions or special exhibitions of borrowed cultural relics may be charged.
II. Appointment Guide
• Reservation channel: You can make an appointment through the official website of the National Museum of China, official APP, WeChat official account or WeChat applet.
• Reservation rules: You need to choose a specific admission period, which is divided into three periods: 9: 00-11: 00, 11: 00-13: 30, 13:30-16: 00, and the third period from June 1 to October 31 is 13:30-16: 30. Tickets are released on time at 17:00 every day, and you can grab tickets 7 days in advance. Each account can make an appointment at most once a week, with a maximum of 5 people at a time.
III. Traffic Guide
• Subway: Take Line 1 or Line 2 to "Tian'anmen East Station", exit the station at Exit D, and go straight to the security gate of Guobo East Gate. There is no need to bypass the security check of Tiananmen Square.
•Bus: No.1, No.2,No.52,No.82,No.120 and other lines stop at Tiananmen East Station.After getting off,walk for 5 minutes to the North Gate Entrance.
• Self-driving/taxi: There is no exclusive parking lot in Guobo. You can park in the parking lot on the east side of Tiananmen Square or the parking lot around Wangfujing. You can take a taxi to locate "East Gate of Guobo, East Gate of Zizhuyuan Hall" or "North Gate of National Museum".
IV. Must-see exhibition area and the treasure of the town hall
•Basic display of ancient China on the B1 floor: This is the core exhibition area of the National Expo, which connects more than 2,000 cultural relics in series with a timeline, covering 5,000 years of civilization. The treasures of the town hall include Hongshan Yulong, Tao Yingding, Houmu Wuding, Siyang Fangzun, Zenghou Yiqiang Zhong, etc.
• 3 layers of ancient Chinese porcelain: There are treasures such as Ruyao Tianqing glaze plate. Ruyao porcelain is famous for its warm sky-blue glazed surface and is the representative of the peak of porcelain art.
• 3 layers of ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting: It brings together Song Huizong's Xianglong Stone, Zheng Banqiao bamboo and stone and other treasures. It is an exhibition area that calligraphy and painting lovers should not miss.
• North District 1-3-storey rejuvenation road: It is the core exhibition area of modern history, with a display of Yuanmingyuan rabbit head, mouse head, and cultural relics related to the founding ceremony.
• 4 layers of ancient Chinese clothing culture: there are restorations of Yongzheng Emperor's clothes, etc., and you can also "try on" Han and Tang Dynasty costumes through 3D projection.
V. Must-see exhibitions
Permanent basic display
• Ancient China: This is the core must-see exhibition of the National Expo, located in the North 20 - North 25, South 15 - South 20 exhibition halls. The exhibition is divided into units according to historical context, covering the long process from the Paleolithic Age to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, bringing together more than 2,000 precious cultural relics. Treasures of town halls such as the queen mother Wuding, Siyang Fangzun, Hongshan Yulong, Xiaoduan Empress Fengguan, etc. are exhibited here, which can intuitively feel the continuation and glory of China's 5,000-year civilization.
• The road to rejuvenation and the new era part: As a core display of modern history, it clearly combs the arduous process of the Chinese people's struggle to achieve national rejuvenation since 1840. In the exhibition, there are rabbit heads and rat heads in Yuanmingyuan, as well as precious cultural relics related to the founding ceremony, which is an important window to understand the context of China's modern development.
Classic thematic exhibition
• Ancient Chinese porcelain: Located in the North 17th exhibition hall, it focuses on porcelain treasures from different dynasties. From the simple celadon to the warm white porcelain, and then to the colorful colored porcelain, it covers many famous kiln works, including the pinnacle of porcelain art such as Ruyao Tianqing glaze plate, which can appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Chinese porcelain.
• Ancient Chinese clothing culture: In the North 18th exhibition hall, the exhibition presents the evolution of ancient Chinese clothing through cultural relics, restored products with 3D projection and other technologies. There are not only court costumes such as restoration products of Yongzheng Emperor's court clothes, but also representatives of folk clothing, who can have an in-depth understanding of the ritual culture and aesthetic changes behind the clothing.
• Ancient Chinese jade: Located in the 19th exhibition hall in the north, it selects jade treasures from various periods. Jade has multiple meanings such as etiquette and decoration in ancient China. The exhibits in the exhibition are delicate in craftsmanship and exquisite in shape, showing the superb jade control technology and unique jade cultural connotation of ancient craftsmen.
• Qianqiu in the Mirror - Ancient Chinese Bronze Mirror Culture: Located in the 14th Exhibition Hall in the South, bronze mirror cultural relics of different eras are displayed. The decorations on the bronze mirror are rich and diverse, covering myths and stories, flowers, birds, fish and insects, etc. You can not only see the practical functions of the ancient bronze mirror, but also understand the aesthetic style and social culture at that time through the decoration.
Popular temporary exhibitions in 2025
• Reverie on the banks of the Neva River - Repin Art Special Exhibition: The exhibition is held until January 11, 2026, located in the south 3 and south 4 exhibition halls. The exhibition brings 92 oil paintings and sketches by the Russian painter Lepin, including the manuscript of The Slender on the Volga River and the religious ranks of Kursk Province. It is a rare opportunity for art lovers to enjoy classic paintings up close.
• Civilized Xinghe - Joint Exhibition of Cultural Relics of the National Museum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: until November 16, located in North 1 and North 2. The exhibition brings together the cultural relics of the SCO collections of various countries. Through the exhibits of cultural relics from different countries, it shows the unique cultural charm of each country and the trajectory of civilization exchanges between each other.
• International Friends and China's Anti-Japanese War: It was launched on September 9 and is located in South 8 and South 9 exhibition halls. As a special exhibition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, it tells about the help and support of international friends to China during the Anti-Japanese War through cultural relics and historical materials, and supplements the narrative of the history of the Anti-Japanese War from a unique perspective.
• The red flag is picturesque - the exhibition of red classic cultural relics in the museum: located in the central hall, through the collection of red classic cultural relics, the exhibition vividly reproduces the important moments in the revolutionary process, conveys the red spirit, and has a strong appeal.
VI. Visiting route
• In-depth panoramic tour (6-8 hours): 8:45 arrive at the reservation channel on the west side of the North Gate, 9:00-12:30 to visit the B1 floor of ancient China; 12:30-13:30 lunch break; 13:30-15:00 to visit the special exhibition area; 15:00-16:00 to visit the temporary special exhibition; 16:00-16:30 to visit the 4th floor of ancient clothing culture exhibition; 16:30-17:00 to purchase at the B1 floor cultural and creative store.
• Parent-child easy tour (3-4 hours): After entering the park at 9:30, go straight to the ancient China on the B1 floor, go to the ancient porcelain exhibition on the 2nd floor or the clothing exhibition on the 4th floor at 11:00, lunch at 12:00, pick up the blind box of archaeological bronzeware at the cultural and creative store on the B1 floor at 14:00, and leave the museum at 14:00.
• Efficient essence tour (3 hours): After entering the park, go straight to the B1 level of ancient China, give priority to the four trump cards such as the mother Wuding and Siyang Fangzun, and then go to the road of rejuvenation to see the beast head of Yuanmingyuan, and buy cultural creation in the last 15 minutes to leave the field.
VII. Other Precautions
• Liters, selfie sticks and large suitcases are not allowed to be brought into the museum and can be stored in designated areas of the museum. It is forbidden to use flashes and tripods to take photos, and photos may be prohibited in some exhibition halls.
• There is a simple dining area on the B1 floor of the museum, a cafe on the 2nd floor, and you can also bring your own snacks and water cups. There is a water dispenser on each floor of the museum.
• You can view the free volunteer explanation time through the "National Museum" APP, and you can also rent an electronic guide at a price of 30 yuan/unit.