China Numismatic Museum

The China Numismatic Museum is located in Xijiaomin Lane, west of Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing. It is a national museum under the direction of the Head Office of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), dedicated to collecting and displaying coins and notes. There are more than 300,000 items housed in the China Numismatic Museum, including old coins, gold and silver coins, paper money, coins used by ethnic groups, foreign coins, coin models, and other items relevant to coins. The special exhibits in the museum include: Currency in China's Past Dynasties, Coin-minting Techniques in Ancient China, and The History of PBOC.

The China Numismatic Museum contains a central hall and four exhibition galleries. The central hall highlights the origin of currency, and the features and fusion of the monetary systems in the East and the West. The exhibition galleries display the rare collection of paper money and coins.

Ban Liang Coins of Qin State

Knife Money in Ancient China

Among the items on exhibit, there are many precious ones with academic value, such as the coins of different dynasties, coins of ethnic groups, and currency issued by different political powers in revolutionary times (1937 – 1949). The models used to mint coins are also shown in the museum. In addition, the China Numismatic Museum exhibits the currency of over 100 countries around the world, most of which are gold and silver coins, and notes of the 19th century. The samples of Chinese notes and commemorative coins issued by PBOC are another feature of the museum.
 This exhibition is on the second and third floors and covers two themes: Currency in Ancient Times, and Modern Currency. It is the oldest continuing exhibition of the Numismatic Museum. The exhibition is divided into following parts: the unification of the currency, the ancient currency, gold and silver coins, introduction of banks, notes, and currency now and in the future.

Silver Ingot in Qing Dynasty

Ancient Paper Money

Covering an area of 4,306 square feet (400 square meters), it is a unique special display in the exhibition hall on the first floor, which reproduces the process of minting coins, using characters, pictures and the reconstructions of the scenes. This exhibition contains interactive activities, allowing visitors to experience the coin-minting process in person, such as making coin models, and casting coins.  
 The exhibit on the History of the PBOC is in the lobby. PBOC, established in 1984, is the central bank of China formulating and implementing the monetary policy, preventing and dissolving financial risks, and maintaining the financial stability. This exhibition is a vivid review of the PBOC's records.

Gold Cions of Qing Dynasty

Coins from Ancient Kushan Empire

 By Subway:
Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Qianmen Station. Get out from Exit C and walk to the north for about five minutes.
 By Bus:
Take bus 2, 120, or Sightseeing Bus 1 or 2 and get off at Tiananmen Square West Station.
Beijing Bus / Subway Search
 

Admission Fee	Free
Opening Hours	Tuesday to Sunday:  9:00 – 17:00 (stop entering at 16:00) *Closed on Monday