798 Art Zone （798艺术区）is an avant-garde and trendy place that combines artistic and commercial activities. It has been morphed from several former over-50-year-old military factories with unique architectural style. One of the largest factories is known as Factory 798, hence the name for the art district.
The whole art space is open all year round and free to the public. It comprises many design rooms, art galleries, exhibition space, artists’ studios, fashion shops, restaurants, bars and many other elements of culture and art.
798 Art District has become a new symbol of Beijing, attracting a consistent flow of visitors. If you are interested in creative art forms while you are on your Beijing tour, a 2-hour leisure trip to 798 Art Zone is a rewarding choice.
Add.: No.4 Jiuxianqiao Rd., Chaoyang District 北京朝阳区酒仙桥路4号
Ticket Price: free
Opening Hours: 10:00-17:00
How to get there: 401，402、418、420，405，909，955，991，988，445
Plan your Beijing city tour? The National Museum of China may be not a must do in Beijing if you only have 2 or 3 days to stick around. But if you’re here for quite a few days, or you have finished the so-called bucket list, this huge museum is perfect for you no matter you are a history buff or not.
Though not a universal museum like the British Museum, Louvre, Hermitage, or Smithsonian, but as a national museum, the National Museum of China is also top on the list, one of the five or six greatest museums in the world.
It is a grand museum with multiple floors of exhibition halls. The massive museum comprises mainly two halls showcasing permanent exhibits – “Ancient China ” at basement level and “The Road to Rejuvenation” near the entrance, plus a few temporary galleries on upper floors some of which you have to pay entry fees to enter.
National Museum Of China
In the basement you can walk through over 5000 years of history, from stone age artifacts to Zhou bronzes, Tang ceramics, Yuan embroidery, Ming pottery, Qing Dynasty Culture and much more.
The “Road to Rejuvenation” displays the exhibits and artifacts which provides an authoritative view of the last 100 plus years history.
Its location
The museum is located on the east side of Tian ‘anmen Square, 16 Dongchang ‘an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing.
The museum is located on the east side of Tian ‘anmen Square
Open Hours, Tickets and Booking
1. The opening hours are from 9:00 to 17:00 every day (no admission at 16:00). The museum will be closed on Mondays (except holidays), and the night sessions will be cancelled temporarily.
2. The daily visit limit is 8000 people, and all visitors must book online. before 4:00 pm each day, you can make a booking which can be valid for 7 days. The group reservation and on-site reservation are not accepted.
3. There are three time periods for visitors : 2000 people from 9:00 to 10:00, 3500 people from 10:00 to 13:30, 2500 people from 13:30 to 15:30, until the quota is full.
4. During the opening period of limited booking, visitors are required to check their ID card, show their health code in real time (they can also apply for the health code of the same day in advance through the Beijing Health Treasure mini-program) and accept health monitoring. They can only enter the museum if there is no abnormality.
5. During the opening period of limited booking, manual interpretation service will be suspended, and visitors shall wear masks correctly throughout the exhibition and observe the exhibition in a civilized and orderly manner.
Travel Tips
1.Show your passport at the ticketing office to get your free ticket;
2. A lot of security and your belongings will be checked. If you bring a backpack you have to deposit it at the cloakroom for 10 yuan;
3. Signage is in Mandarin and English, easy to guide you inside the huge building;
4. Wearing a pair of comfy sports shoes. Prepare for some stroll and it is a huge layout;
5. 3-4 hour is needed to cover the two major halls – “Ancient China” and “the Road to Rejuvenation”;
6. Food and beverage outlets are orderly laid out inside the museum and a nice cafe on the first floor where you can also have soup and sandwich for a reasonable price;
7. WiFi only available when you sit down and buy a cup of coffee in the coffee shop and they give you the access;
8. Gift shops are dotted around the building with a great variety of quality products and souvenirs;
9. Not all galleries have English translations.
10. For exhibitions where photography is allowed, do not use flash, selfie stick or foot stand;
11. The museum lacks interesting activities for Children;
12. Electric wheelchairs and elderly mobility vehicles are not allowed in the museum;
Plan your Beijing Tour? The Temple of Confucius and the Imperial College Museum is worth your exploration for 1-3 hour. The two adjoining attractions – Confucian Temple and Guozijian (The Imperial College) have coalesced into one museum renamed “Confucian Temple and Guozijian Museum” since June, 2008.
If you are interested in Chinese culture and traditional etiquette as well as China History, Confucian Temple and Guozijian Museum is not be missed.
Temple of Confucius in Beijing is the place where people pay respect to Confucius, which has started since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), further to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Guozijian (the Imperial College) was once the national central institute of learning in Chinese dynasties in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It was the highest institute of learning in China’s traditional educational system.
Opening Hours & Entry Fee
Opening Hours High Season ( May – October ): 8:30am – 6:00pm ( no ticket selling after 5:30pm ) Low Season ( November – April ) 8:30am – 5:00pm ( No ticket selling after 4:30pm )
Entrance fee: RMB 30 per person
How to get there
Subway:
Subway Line 2: get off at Yonghegong (Lama Temple) Station, come out of the station from Exit C (Southwest Exit), and walk south about 500 meters, then you’ll find Chengxian Jie (Chengxian Street, also known as Guozijian Street) on your right hand and walk westward for 200 meters, and you will find Confucian Temple and Guozijian Imperial College Museum on your right side.
Subway Line 5: get off at Yonghegong (Lama Temple )Station, and come out of the station from Exit C (Southwest Exit), same walking trail a above.
Bus Route: Buses : 116, 684, 13, 117 and get off at Yonghegong Station ( Lama Temple), 113, 108, 104, 124 at Fangjia Hutong.
Suggested Travel Route
Chengxian Jie Archway (Chengxian Street Archway) on your right hand and walk westward for 200 meters, and you will find Confucian Temple and Guozijian Imperial College.
Chengxian Jie Archway (Chengxian Street Archway) on your right hand and walk westward for 200 meters, and you will find Confucian Temple and Guozijian Imperial College.Enter the main gate of Comfucian Temple and you will see the Statue of Confucius.
Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Accomplishment) the main building in the temple, where the memorial ceremony for Confucius is often held.
Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Accomplishment)
Inside the Dacheng Hall
Inside the temple you will find 198 stone tablets are placed on either side of the front courtyard, containing over 50,000 names of Jinshi ( advance learners ) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties as well 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
198 stone tablets are placed on either side of the front courtyard14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties
Through the middle door connecting the two sites, you can go from Confucian Temple to Guozijian Imperial College.
Through the middle door connecting the two sites, you can go from Confucian Temple to Guozijian Imperial College.Built in 1783, Glazed Archway of Guozijian has three portals, four pillars.
Built in 1783, Glazed Archway of Guozijian has three portals, four pillars.
Biyong Hall is the main building of Guozijian Imperial College, to the north of the glazed archway. The hall is surrounded by a circular moat. This is the place the emperors gave lectures.
Biyong Hall is the main building of Guozijian Imperial CollegeIn the middle courtyard, there are six halls contain 66 classrooms.
In the middle courtyard, there are six halls contain 66 classrooms.
Scenic and Historical Spots nearby
If you plan to visit the Temple of Confucius and the Imperial College Museum, you can incorporate into your trip to the museum some of the surrounding scenic spots: Lama Temple (300 meters), Wudaoying Hutong (300 meters), Ditan Park (800 meters), Nanluoguxiang (1.4 kilometers), Shichahai area (2.4 kilometers), Beihai Park and Jingshan Park (2.7 kilometers), according to your own taste and interests.
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