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    National Museum Of China

    874 Reviews
    #43 of 1,568 things to do in Beijing
    Museums, Specialty Museums
    Closed today: Closed
    No.16 East Chang'an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, China
    Open today: Closed
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    Traveler Overview
    4.5874 reviews
    • Excellent51%
    • Very good33%
    • Average13%
    • Poor2%
    • Terrible1%
    Travelers talk about
    “chinese history”(66 reviews)
    “free entry”(23 reviews)
    “african art”(11 reviews)
    About
    This museum features changing exhibits related to political themes such as the Opium Wars, the founding of the Communist Party, the Sino-French and Sino-Japanese Wars, the Japanese War, the 1911 Revolution and the social unrest of 1989.
    Closed today
    Hours Today: Closed
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    Suggested duration: 2-3 hours
    As featured in Museum Guide for Beijing
    Contact
    No.16 East Chang'an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, China
    Website
    +86 10 6526 3355
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    Ways to Experience National Museum Of China
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    Reviews (874)
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    All reviews chinese history free entry african art security check prehistoric times tiananmen square on display english descriptions several floors recent history chinese nationals communist party terracotta warriors impressive building rainy day ticket office exhibits
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    1 - 10 of 519 reviews
    Reviewed 1 week ago
    SHOULDN'T be called a MUSEUM!

    The very first thought I stepped into this place is that, this place shouldn't be called a MUSEUM!. What's on display are images and videos about China's development and progress. There's no antiques or artifacts on display at all! Wasted my time queuing up for...More

    Date of experience: November 2018
    1  Thank choihoweboon
    Reviewed 2 weeks ago
    Bird's eyeview to the progress that China made over the years

    Excellent exhibits, certainly making it a not to be missed attraction. Plan to spend a substantial portion of the day, if not the entire day, if you want to go through the entire facility. We left our bags at the locker, visited the Mausoleum first...More

    Date of experience: November 2018
    Thank Vishnu_Pendyala
    Reviewed 2 weeks ago
    Closed on November 7, 2018

    I was really looking forward to visiting this museum on our last trip to Beijing but unfortunately, it was closed for some unknown reason and no dates were posted. So bummed! But based upon recent reviews, looks like it re-opened earlier this month.

    Date of experience: November 2018
    Thank TigrMama
    Reviewed 3 weeks ago
    A huge museum, with lots of exhibits

    First off, this museum is HUGE. If you want to see EVERYTHING then be prepared for 4-5 hours at the very least. Having said that, the only MUST SEE is the Ancient China exhibition, that spans from prehistorical ages to the most recent antiquity. There...More

    Date of experience: March 2018
    Thank SpirosKphotography
    Reviewed 3 weeks ago
    Excellent museum

    Great museum. I especially like the basement, where there are thousands of Chinese artifacts, organized by dynasty. Please note, currently there is a special temporary exhibition going on, so the museum restaurants and tea cafe are all closed.

    Date of experience: November 2018
    Thank qbelul
    Reviewed 3 weeks ago
    No english translation

    The museum used to offer english translation audio tours but they said they no longer off that. After waiting to get in and going through security (took 2 hours) we finally got in and then found out almost nothing was in english and no audio...More

    Date of experience: November 2018
    Thank Trail824661
    Reviewed October 15, 2018 via mobile
    Temporarily Closed

    I was at T square on Sunday October 14 and the museum is still closed. From the museum website: Dear Visitors: Due to the construction of the exhibition, the National Museum of China will be closed temporarily from September 25, 2018, and the reopening date...More

    Date of experience: October 2018
    1  Thank Arthur415
    Reviewed October 13, 2018
    OK

    Was really looking forward to this museum... OK, but not fabulous. The Russian building is really interesting and impressive. By design (?) more than 25% of the available space is empty. Definitely gives a fly-on-a-plate and the-state-is-powerful feeling. Many of the items displayed are exquisitely...More

    Date of experience: September 2018
    1  Thank SchrodingerCat
    Reviewed September 29, 2018
    Not worth much time, but good if you have time and are in the area.

    The National Museum is free of charge. You will need to go through two security checkpoints prior to entering. This is a massive space. They do not have guides or maps to tell you what exhibits contain and where they are located. They list room...More

    Date of experience: September 2018
    2  Thank LibbyH1
    Reviewed September 13, 2018 via mobile
    You need a week to see this museum

    We visited only the ancient exhibit. I wish I had time to see more. A very large museum, one of the most visited in the world. Free. Camera friendly. Lots of security, you need your passport. The main sineahe is in Chinese and in English....More

    Date of experience: September 2018
    2  Thank AoifeCuRua
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    Questions & Answers
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    See all 7 questions
    Ian G
    October 9, 2018|
    AnswerShow all 6 answers
    Response from lewish725 | Reviewed this property |
    Would recommend to go to the entrance on the right as it tends to be quicker. Easily accessible inside, lots of elevators and flat surfaces, wheelchairs are available.
    1
    Vote
    Stella S
    July 9, 2017|
    AnswerShow all 9 answers
    Response from TheOExpress | Reviewed this property |
    Yes, you can take as many pictures as you like in most exhibitions, provided the camera does not use a tripod or have flash on. There are some exhibits in which this is not allowed but these are quite clearly marked.
    2
    Votes
    robandlil
    September 18, 2016|
    AnswerShow all 7 answers
    Response from letsgotochina | Reviewed this property |
    I agree with the previous poster, FYL003. When I went there I was on my own. I picked up one of the museum maps and figured out what I wanted to see. The place is MASSIVE, so plan on spending several hours if you want to... More
    1
    Vote
    123
    Travel Forum Posts
    yanathewanderlust
    Need advise on 4-day trip to Beijing. (8 Replies)
    Me and my sister will be visiting Beijing for the first time. KIndly comment on the itinerary i have made. Would need help on which places are near each other and is best visited at the same time. Arrival 0100H Day 1 : Visit to Great Wall - Mutianya Ming tombs **Will probably take a private tour for this day Day 2 Summer Palace Beijing Zoo - to see Pandas Temple of Heaven **Are they close to each other? Day 3 Tiananmen Square Forbidden CIty Jingshan Park Day 4...More
    June 26, 2014|
    Response fromJanetLarge|
    I did same itinerary last year, but a little more rush, I did it within 3 days. Kung Fu Show is a must-see one I really love it
    pdmse
    Toronto, Canada
    National Museum of China (3 Replies)
    Hello! Is there still a daily limit on the number of free tickets issued for this museum and if so, how early would I need to arrive on a Saturday to be able to get in? Thanks!
    March 13, 2017|
    Response fromkvchinaa|
    Yes but unless it's a holiday weekend, I wouldn't worry too much about getting shut out of tickets. If traveling during July-August school/uni vacation period, I'd get there within first 30 minutes of opening. Other months and on non-holiday Saturdays, my guess is that you could get a ticket after lunch also. If you plan to do the Square and Museum then the Forbidden City on the same day in sequence, then get to Museum ticketing about 10-15 minutes before opening since you'll need more time...More
    blackdragons
    UK
    Beijing Itinerary - Half During National Day (5 Replies)
    I know its not ideal to be going at this time, but it was either that or not go at all. This is a quick itinerary that I have drawn up, and was wondering if people could give some feedback. Feedback in general, but also factoring in the time we are going, and whether we should go to some places on different days (ie, the best places to go during Natonal Day holidays). Also whether I am allowing enough time for each place (especially at this time), and if I have missed anything obvious....More
    September 30, 2014|
    Response fromannieandhamish|
    Hi, You are arriving at the tail end of National week holiday so dont stress too much. However your itinerary is all a huge mish mash of places not close to each other. You really need to look on a map & buy a small pocket guide to see where the places you want to see are located. IE; Your arrival afternoon / evening. Panjiayuan Market (Dirt Market) & Yuyuantan Park are located in different parts of the city. No way you will fit them both in. Leave your hotel at lunch time...More
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