National Museum of China Entry Ticket Beijing

The National Museum of China on Tiananmen Square

The National Museum of China stands on the east side of Tiananmen Square, facing the Great Hall of the People. It was formed in 2003 by joining the national history and revolution museums, and after a major expansion it reopened in 2011 as one of the largest museum buildings in the world, with a monumental colonnade outside and a grand central hall within.

Its collection covers the whole span of Chinese history, so it is the ideal place to understand what you see elsewhere in China, from the Great Wall to the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army. Is the National Museum of China worth visiting on a short trip? If you enjoy history or want the background behind China's great sights, it is one of the most rewarding stops in Beijing.

Ancient China: the museum's most famous galleries

Most visitors start with the Ancient China exhibition, a long chronological journey through the country's past. It begins with painted pottery and jade from Neolithic villages, then reaches the Shang and Zhou dynasties, when bronze casting reached an extraordinary level. The star piece is a rectangular Shang dynasty bronze cauldron weighing about 830 kilograms, made over 3,000 years ago for royal rituals.

Further on you meet a Han dynasty burial suit made of jade plaques sewn with gold thread, lively Tang dynasty glazed camels and horses that recall the Silk Road trade, and elegant Song and Ming porcelain. Information panels are in Chinese and English. Give this exhibition at least one and a half hours, as it is the heart of the museum.

Porcelain, jade, Buddhist art and the Silk Road

Beyond the chronological galleries, themed halls display some of China's finest crafts: ancient jade carving, porcelain from the great imperial kilns, Buddhist sculpture in stone and gilded bronze, and coins, silks and pottery that tell the story of trade along the Silk Road. Temporary exhibitions, often with objects lent from museums across China and abroad, change through the year.

Another section follows the country's transformation from the late nineteenth century to today through photographs, documents and objects. The building is huge, so pick two or three themes that interest you most rather than trying to see everything. There are cafes and rest areas inside, and halal (qingzhen) restaurants run by Hui Muslim families can be found in the nearby Qianmen area.

Opening hours, how to get there and Tiananmen Square

National Museum of China opening hours are usually 09:00 to 17:00, with last entry at about 16:00; the museum is closed on Mondays except public holidays. How to get to the National Museum of China: take metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East station and follow the signs to the museum's west entrance on the square side, where you pass a passport and security check.

After your visit, your ticket gives access to Tiananmen Square, so you can stand before the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. The best time to visit is a weekday morning outside Chinese national holidays, when queues are shortest; the Forbidden City lies just north of the square if you want to continue.