The Capital Museum

The Capital Museum is a patriotic education base in Beijing. Located in No.16 Fuxingmen Outer Street, it is accessible by subway Line 1, buses No.1 or No.4. It is a large modernized comprehensive museum that reflects the past and present of Beijing in terms of history, construction, folk customs, and culture. It was open to public on May 18, 2006.

The museum, with 5 floors above the ground and 2 underground, covers an area of 24,800 square meters, with a total floor space of 66,690 square meters. The building itself is a work of art, combining classical and modern aesthetic concepts. The huge roof has traditional upturned eaves; the grey stone screen wall follows the style of traditional architecture of Beijing; the sloping road on the square suggests the grandeur of ancient palaces in the city. The danbi (a decorative slab of stone) that adorns the pavement outside the north gate and the archway in the hall exude the special charm of traditional Chinese architecture. The slanting, protruding wall of the elliptic bronze hall signifies the bringing to light of ancient relics.

The museum has a rich collection of cultural relics. Most of the exhibits are relics unearthed in Beijing and its environs. By adopting the latest findings in the history, relics, archeology of Beijing and related fields and learning from successes of museums at home and abroad, it has created a modernized exhibition system with distinctive qualities of Beijing. It is divided into three parts——basic exhibits, theme exhibition, and temporary exhibition. In the first part, “the history and culture of the ancient capital” and “the construction of the ancient capital”, core exhibitions at the museum, reflect the long history and age-old culture of Beijing and the splendid history of its growth. “Folk Customs of Old Beijing” shows in a vivid way the customs of Beijing dwellers between the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republican Period. “Bronze Art in Yan Region” and six other theme exhibitions, showing the best of the museum's collection, reflect the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Temporary exhibitions provide a platform for showing local cultures and for exchange between Chinese and foreign cultures.

The museum is not only a base for the protection and study of cultural relics in the Beijing area, but also a base for teaching patriotism, history, and science to teenagers. Visitors may see a rich collection, listen to lectures given by experts, and participate in various kinds of activities such as making pottery and New Year pictures. The 2,000-square-meter ceremony hall is an ideal place for celebrations or large-scale cultural activities. The bamboo courtyard, the souvenir shop, the bookstore, the teahouse, and the restaurant are good places to go for leisure.

With a rich collection, excellent furnishing, and high-quality service, the museum shows the culture of the ancient capital Beijing and promotes cultural exchange, thus contributing to socialist spiritual civilization.

Address:No.16 Fuxingmen Outer Street, Beijing

Publishes at : 07-09-23 22:04

Url : http://www.asiavtour.com/China_Beijing_Attractions_a147_s4_c8087.html