National Museum of China

The National Museum of China sits to the east of Tiananmen Square and south of East Chang'an Street, opposite to the Great Hall of the People.  Finished at the same time, The National Museum of China and The Great Hall of the People were both among the "Ten Great Constructions" completed for the 10th birthday of the PRC. The National Museum of China was built on the basis of the former Museum of Chinese History and the former Museum of Chinese Revolution,  being the most inclusive museum of time-honored Chinese culture and history in the country. After four year's renovation and expansion, the new National Museum reopened in March, 2011 ranks among the largest modern museums in the world.

 History
The Museum of Chinese History developed from The National History Museum which was constructed in 1912 at the site of Beijing Guozijian originally. Later it moved to the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and the Upright Gate (Duanmen) of the Forbidden City. After the founding of the People Republic of China, the government decided to build a new museum to the east of Tiananmen Square in August, 1958. Thereby, a new structure named The Museum of Chinese History was born in the next September.

The Museum of the Chinese Revolution grew out of the Preparatory Office of Central Revolution Museum that came into existence in March, 1950. The Preparatory Office was set in Circular City (Tuancheng) of Beihai Park at the beginning and moved to the Hall of Martial Valor of the Forbidden City before long. In October, 1958, a new building took shape to the east of Tiananmen Square. August, 1959 saw the completion of the building. August of the next year was the time when The Museum of the Chinese Revolution was presented and the Preparatory Office was eliminated. Its official opening was on July 1st, 1961.

In September, 1969, The Museum of Chinese History and The Museum of the Chinese Revolution were combined as the Revolution and History Museum of China. Later they went back to their separate buildings in the early years of the 1980s. On February, 28, 2003, The National Museum of China was inaugurated. 

The National Museum of China was closed again for renovation and rebuilding in 2007 and reopened on March 1, 2011. The new one is two times larger than the previous one. The exhibition themed The Road to Rejuvenation once inaugurated in celebration of the 60th birthday of the PRC in 2009 is the first display in the new National Museum. The northern exhibition area was unveiled firstly to the public.

 Main Exhibits and Facilities
After renovation and expansion, The National Museum has in total 48 exhibition halls, ranging from 700-2000 square meters. Chinese Art History and The Road to Rejuvenation are the main basic exhibitions to show nearly 3,000 historic materials from Yuanmou Man about 1,700,000 years ago to the abdication of the Qing Emperor in 1912 in ten exhibition halls, and modern and contemporary revolutionary relics since the First Opium War (or the First Anglo-Chinese War) in 1840 in nine exhibitions halls, mirroring more than 100 years development of China from 1840 to the founding of the PRC in 1949.

The National Museum is devoted to display of treasured collections in form of various thematic exhibitions, such as the Arts of bronze, porcelain, jade, Chinese calligraphy and paintings, Buddhist statues, Ming & Qing furniture, coins, etc in ancient China; to display feature culture relics, significant archeological discoveries and ethnic culture and folk customs in the form of exchanges and cooperation with local museums; to display different civilizations and artistic creations in the world in the form of loan and exchange exhibitions. There are temporary exhibition halls to display modern art. 

New buildings during the latest renovation project include several banquet rooms respectively decorated with wood, brick, bronze and stone carvings. In order to provide a variety of services, the new National Museum has shops offering tea, coffee, souvenirs, as well as an auditorium and a 700-seat theater.

 Top Treasures
The National Museum of China houses the most cherished and topmost level cultural relics of the whole nation, which can be seen in history schoolbook. The oldest exhibit is the teeth of Yuanmou Man 1.7 million years ago. There are also the stone tools and ancient jade ritual objects of prehistoric times. Simuwu Rectangle Ding, whichis the top treasure of the museum is the biggest piece of bronze ware in China. It was discovered in the Yin Ruins Royal Tomb of the Shang Dynasty. The image in the emblem of the National Museum is Simuwu Ding. In addition, the 34.5kg bronze Four Ram Zun Vessel of the Shang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty Tricolor Pottery with Musician and Dancing Figures on Camelback excavated in Xian in 1957 and the Jade Shroud Sewn with Gold Thread for the emperor and nobility of the Han Dynasty are also top treasures of the museum. 

 Recent Exhibitions
 From March, 2011
The Road to Rejuvenation: free of charge and before March 17, group visitors with reservation only
 From March 25, 2011: Buddhist Art of Ancient China and Bronze Art of Ancient China and several other thematic exhibitions
 From March: History of Ancient China and the thematic exhibition of Chinese traditional paintings of Pan Tianshou, Li Keran and Huang Zhou
 April 1, 2011 – April 1, 2012: Art of Enlightenment
 April 28 – October 28, 2011: Incan Ancestors – Ancient Peru from 1st to 7th Century

Admission Fee:	Free for basic exhibitions (The Road to Rejuvenation and History of Ancient China) Notes: 3,000 visitors permitted every day, including 2/3 group visitors and 1/3 individual visitors. Visitors need to pay for some special exhibitions.
Open Hours:	9:00 to 17:00, closed on Monday (Tickets issued until 16:00; Last entry at 16:15)
Reservation:	Call 010-65116400 for group reservation Individual visitors can go to the National Museum's ticket center at the North Entrance, showing an ID certificate for an admission ticket.
Subway:	Subway Line 1  to Tiananmen East, the museum is to the south; Subway Line 2 to Qianmen, the museum is to the north.
Bus Route:	1, 2, 4, 10, 20, 37, 52, 120, 728, 802, Special Line 1 to Tiananmen; 2, 5, 7, 9, 17, 20, 22, 44, 48, 53, 54, 59, 66, 110, 120, 337...to Qianmen; the museum is to the east of Tiananmen Square.  Beijing Bus / Subway Search

 Other Attractions around Tiananmen Square: 
 Tiananmen Tower       Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao        Monument to the People's Heroes