National Museum of China

Yes — entry to the National Museum of China is free, but visitors must book tickets in advance online and present a valid passport or national ID at the entrance. Foreign visitors must register through the official booking system (en.chnmuseum.cn). The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is closed on Mondays. Popular exhibition periods can fully book weeks in advance.

The Houmuwu Ding (also known as the Simuwu Ding) — a massive bronze ritual vessel cast during the late Shang Dynasty (c. 1250 BCE) — is generally considered the museum's most significant object and is China's largest and heaviest piece of ancient bronze. At 832 kilograms and 133 cm tall, it is a designated Chinese Cultural Relic Forbidden from Exhibition Abroad, meaning it will never leave China. Other highlights include jade burial suits from the Han Dynasty, Tang tri-color glazed pottery, and an exceptional collection of ancient Chinese porcelain.

The National Museum of China is one of the largest museum buildings in the world, covering 191,900 square metres of total floor area and with about 66,000 square metres of exhibition space across 48 exhibition halls. It flanks the eastern side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, next to the Great Hall of the People. With 7.4 million visitors in 2019, it was the second most visited art museum in the world that year — just behind the Louvre.

The museum has two permanent exhibitions: 'Ancient China,' which traces Chinese civilisation from the Yuanmou Man (1.7 million years ago) through the Qing Dynasty using over 2,000 artefacts; and 'The Road of Rejuvenation,' which documents modern Chinese history from the Opium Wars to the present. Temporary international exhibitions are also regularly hosted. The scope is encyclopedic — bronzes, jade, calligraphy, ceramics, paintings, coins, and artefacts covering every major Chinese dynasty.

The National Museum of China is located at 16 East Chang'an Avenue on the eastern edge of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing. The nearest metro station is Tiananmen East (Lines 1 and 5), a 5-minute walk. From the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) it is a 10-minute walk south along the square. The museum is closed on Mondays. Bags must go through security checks and large bags may not be permitted inside.

Plan 3–5 hours for the highlights. Add time for temporary exhibitions, the museum shop, and café.

Yes — entry is free but visitors must book tickets in advance online and present a valid passport or national ID. Popular periods can fully book weeks ahead.

The Houmuwu Ding — a massive bronze ritual vessel from the late Shang Dynasty, China's largest ancient bronze and forbidden from leaving the country.

The National Museum covers all of Chinese history and civilisation; the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) focuses on the imperial palace and its collections. Visit both — they are a 10-minute walk apart.