# 798 Art Zone, Beijing

> The 798 Art Zone is a former electronics factory in Dashanzi, north-east Beijing, whose workshops now hold contemporary art museums and galleries. The streets are free and open at all hours; galleries keep roughly 10:00–18:00 and many close on Mondays. UCCA and some shows charge admission. Allow two and a half to three hours.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/798-art-zone

- City: [Beijing](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing), China
- YesGo score: 32/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 2 h 30 min
- Entry: Free; some exhibitions charge
- Opening hours: District open 24 hours; galleries roughly 10:00–18:00, many closed Mondays; UCCA Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00
- With kids: Fine with kids
- District entry: Free; only some exhibitions charge
- UCCA: Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00, last entry 18:30, closed Mondays; price depends on the exhibition, under 1.2 m free
- UCCA ticket: Unofficial: around ¥100–180 for a major show
- M WOODS: Tue–Sun 11:00–19:00, last entry 18:00, closed Mondays
- Other galleries: Usually 10:00–18:00 or 11:00–19:00, most closed Mondays
- Metro: Line 12 — Gaojiayuan (Exit B); Line 14 — Jiangtai (Exit A) or Wangjing South (Exit B1)
- Time needed: 2.5–3 hours; half a day with lunch and a couple of exhibitions
- Payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, or cash; UCCA’s desk takes cards
- For a taxi: 798艺术区, 朝阳区酒仙桥路2号 (2 Jiuxianqiao Road)
- Coordinates: 39.98475, 116.48787
- Facts checked: 04.11.2026

## Key facts

- **Free** — to enter the district; only some museums and exhibitions charge (source: Visit Beijing (official portal, 2017); China Bound)
- **Monday** — closing day for UCCA, M WOODS and most galleries — the streets stay open (source: UCCA and M WOODS official websites; Visit Beijing (2017))
- **≈ 12 km** — north-east of Tiananmen Square as the crow flies, beyond the 4th Ring Road (source: Wikidata coordinates)
- **Factory 718** — the complex’s official name; 798 was just one of its sub-factories, and it gave the district its name (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **East Germany** — where the engineers came from — Bauhaus-style halls with sawtooth roofs and north-facing windows (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Beijing Municipal Government (2024))
- **1954** — construction began; the first products left the plant in 1957 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **2002** — Huang Rui and Xu Yong opened 798 Space in the hall with Mao-era slogans (source: Visit Beijing (2020); English Wikipedia)
- **2007** — UCCA Center for Contemporary Art opened, founded by collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens (source: UCCA official website; English Wikipedia)
- **10,000 m²** — plus — the size of UCCA, the district’s anchor museum (source: UCCA official website)
- **2 festivals** — a year: the 798 Art Festival from late April to late May and a creative arts festival from late September to late October (source: Visit Beijing (2020); English Wikipedia)

## What is the 798 Art Zone?

**798** (798艺术区), also called the Dashanzi Art District, is a former factory complex in Chaoyang District, about 12 km north-east of Tiananmen Square. Its workshops and warehouses now hold museums, commercial galleries, artists’ studios, bookshops, design stores and cafés. There are no ticket gates: you just walk in.

The plant was built in the 1950s under a deal with East Germany. The German engineers chose a functional, Bauhaus-influenced design — tall halls, sawtooth roofs and north-facing windows for even daylight. Officially it was **Joint Factory 718**: work began in 1954 and production started in 1957. It was later split into sub-factories numbered 706, 707, 751, 761, 797 and **798**, which lent the district its name.

By the 1990s production had largely stopped, and artists and the Central Academy of Fine Arts began renting the empty halls. In 2002 Huang Rui and Xu Yong opened **798 Space** in a hall whose concrete arches still carry red Mao-era slogans; **UCCA** followed in 2007. Today it’s the centre of Beijing’s contemporary art scene.

> **Don’t go on a Monday** On Mondays **UCCA**, **M WOODS** and most galleries are shut. The lanes, murals and sculptures are still there, but you’ll find almost every door closed — not worth the trip across town. Go Tuesday to Sunday, ideally on a weekday: weekends are crowded.

## 798 Art Zone tickets and opening hours

The district itself is open around the clock and free. Museums and galleries keep daytime hours, typically 10:00–18:00 or 11:00–19:00, and most close on Mondays. After dark the galleries are shut and many lanes are poorly lit, so come in the morning or early afternoon.

**UCCA** charges admission, and the price depends on what’s on; the museum doesn’t publish it online. Unofficial guides quote around ¥100–180 for a major show. Children under 1.2 m go free with an adult, and students, seniors and disabled visitors get discounts. Tickets are sold through UCCA’s official WeChat account and at the front desk, which takes cash and credit cards; the website doesn’t sell tickets to international buyers.

**M WOODS** opens Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00–19:00, last entry 18:00; it doesn’t list prices online. Commercial galleries such as Galleria Continua are usually free. Elsewhere, pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay — both accept foreign Visa and Mastercard once linked to your passport — and keep some small yuan notes as a backup.

## What to see in 798

- **UCCA Center for Contemporary Art** — the district’s anchor, over 10,000 m² of former factory space with shows by Chinese and international artists that change several times a year. Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–19:00.
- **798 Space** (时态空间) — the vaulted concrete hall with slogans on the arches, the classic 798 photo. You can see the arches even between exhibitions.
- **M WOODS** — a private contemporary art museum in building D-06, Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00–19:00.
- **International galleries** — Italy’s Galleria Continua, Pace and others; commercial galleries are usually free to enter.
- **The lanes between the halls** — pipes, old rail tracks, sawtooth roofs, murals and big outdoor sculptures. It’s the free part of 798 and easily fills an hour.
- **Enjoy Art Museum** (B06, 797 Road) — a small private museum, 10:00–18:00, closed Mondays.
- **Bookshops, design stores and cafés** — they stay open later than the galleries and make a good break between shows.

## How to get to the 798 Art Zone

1. From Tiananmen Square, take **Line 1** east from Tiananmen East to **Dawanglu**.
2. Change to **Line 14** and ride north to **Jiangtai**. Allow about 45–50 minutes in total.
3. Leave by **Exit A** and walk north along Jiuxianqiao Road — about 1.5 km, roughly 20 minutes, to the south gate. The next Line 14 stop, **Wangjing South** (Exit B1), is on the other side of the district: also about 20 minutes on foot, or bus 403 to Dashanzi Lukou Dong.
4. The closest station is **Gaojiayuan** on the new **Line 12**, Exit B — about 750 m in a straight line from the middle of the district. Handy from the Lama Temple: take Line 5 north to Heping Xiqiao and change to Line 12 eastbound.
5. From Capital Airport (PEK): the Capital Airport Express to **Sanyuanqiao**, then Line 12 two stops to Gaojiayuan.
6. By bus: the **Dashanzi Lukou Nan** and **Wangyefen** stops on Jiuxianqiao Road, by the west gates.
7. By taxi or DiDi, show **798艺术区** — cars aren’t allowed inside, so you’ll be dropped at a gate on Jiuxianqiao Road.

## Is the 798 Art District worth visiting?

Yes, if you like contemporary art, industrial architecture or simply want a different Beijing — no palaces, no ticket queues. The district is free, and even without the museums there’s plenty to look at: workshops, chimneys, murals and sculpture. Allow **2.5–3 hours** for a walk and two or three galleries, half a day with UCCA and lunch.

To be honest, if you only have two days in Beijing, 798 comes after the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall. It’s a long way from the old centre — about an hour each way — and if contemporary art isn’t your thing, what’s left is mostly cafés and souvenir shops.

The best time is a weekday morning, Tuesday to Friday. Weekends are noticeably busier. During the spring and autumn festivals more halls are open and there are free events.

## 798, the hutongs or Houhai?

|  | 798 Art Zone | Hutongs | Houhai |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entry | Free, museums extra | Free | Free |
| What it is | Factory halls turned galleries | Lived-in lanes of old Beijing | City lakes, promenade, bars |
| Best time | Daytime, Tue–Fri | Morning | Sunset and evening |
| Metro | Gaojiayuan, Line 12; Jiangtai, Line 14 | Shichahai, Line 8 | Shichahai, Line 8 |

The hutongs and Houhai sit side by side in the old centre and fit into one evening. 798 is a separate trip to the north-east — pair it with the Lama Temple, which is on Line 5.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Going Tuesday to Sunday, not Monday
- [ ] 798艺术区 and 酒仙桥路2号 saved in Chinese for a taxi
- [ ] Offline map — Google Maps is blocked in China without roaming or a VPN
- [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay working with my foreign card
- [ ] Some small yuan notes
- [ ] Comfortable shoes — the district is big
- [ ] Checked what’s on at UCCA

## Beijing’s historic sights compared

Beijing sights with a story, rated by YesGo.

- [Tiananmen Square](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-square) — YesGo score 68/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free, passport booking
- [Forbidden City](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/forbidden-city) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · ¥40 Nov–Mar, ¥60 Apr–Oct
- [Chairman Mao Memorial Hall](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/mao-mausoleum) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free, booking required
- [Temple of Heaven](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/temple-of-heaven) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · ¥10–15, ¥28–34 with halls
- [Great Hall of the People](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-hall-of-the-people) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · ¥30, students ¥15; WeChat booking
- [Tiananmen Gate](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-gate) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥15, concession ¥5, booking only
- [National Museum of China](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/national-museum-of-china) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, passport booking
- [Wangfujing Street](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/wangfujing-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Beijing hutongs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-hutongs) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; rickshaw about ¥100–200
- [Nanluoguxiang](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/nanluoguxiang) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24 hours
- [Houhai Lake and Shichahai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/houhai-lake) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free
- [Jingshan Park](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/jingshan-park) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥2, ¥10 during exhibitions
- [Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥25, booked in WeChat
- [Drum and Bell Towers](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-drum-and-bell-towers) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥30 for both towers
- [Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/old-summer-palace) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥10, ¥25 with the ruins
- [Beihai Park](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beihai-park) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥5–10, ¥15–20 with the island
- [Confucius Temple and Imperial Academy](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-confucius-temple) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ¥30, one ticket with the Guozijian
- [Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · ¥20–30, ¥50–60 through ticket
- [Prince Gong's Mansion](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/prince-gong-mansion) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥40, book ahead with passport
- [798 Art Zone](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/798-art-zone) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free; some exhibitions charge
- [Great Wall at Badaling](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/badaling-great-wall) — YesGo score 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ¥40 entry; ¥35 November–March
- [Beijing Zoo](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-zoo) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ¥10–15, ¥14–19 with pandas
- [Ming Tombs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/ming-tombs) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥20–40 per site, ¥30–60 in summer
- [Great Wall at Juyongguan](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/juyongguan-great-wall) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥35 entry; ¥40 April–October
- [Great Wall at Mutianyu](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-wall-mutianyu) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥40–45 entry; cable car ¥100–140
- [Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/gubei-water-town) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥140 entry; ¥170 with Simatai wall

## Lama Temple, Confucius Temple and an afternoon at 798

The Lama Temple and the Confucius Temple next door in the morning, then Lines 5 and 12 to 798 for the afternoon. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥25, booked in WeChat
2. [Confucius Temple and Imperial Academy](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-confucius-temple) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ¥30, one ticket with the Guozijian
3. [798 Art Zone](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/798-art-zone) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free; some exhibitions charge

> **Spring and autumn festivals** Every year the 798 Art Festival runs from late April to late May, and a creative arts festival from late September to late October. More exhibitions open and installations go up in the lanes. Programmes appear on the district’s Chinese social media shortly beforehand.

## Good to know

The district has two street numbers on the same road: UCCA uses 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, M WOODS and most galleries use No. 2. It’s one site — telling a driver “798” is enough.

## Tips

- Start at the south gate on Jiuxianqiao Road: the visitor centre there usually has free paper maps.
- See the galleries first — many close at 18:00 — and leave UCCA for late afternoon: it stays open until 19:00.
- The classic shot is the slogan-painted arches in 798 Space, visible even between exhibitions.
- No food, drinks or animals inside UCCA.
- The cafés and bookshops stay open after the galleries — good for a break.
- Coming from the old centre? Pair 798 with the [Lama Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple): Line 5 runs from there to the Line 12 interchange.
- After dark the galleries are closed and many lanes are poorly lit — come in daylight for photos.

## Questions

### Is the 798 Art Zone free?

Yes, the district is free to walk around at any time. Some museums charge: UCCA sells tickets per exhibition, and many commercial galleries are free.

### What are the 798 Art District opening hours?

The streets never close. Galleries keep roughly 10:00–18:00; UCCA opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–19:00. Most venues close on Mondays.

### Is 798 open on Mondays?

The streets are, but UCCA, M WOODS and most galleries are closed. Pick any other day.

### How do I get to 798 by subway?

The nearest station is Gaojiayuan on Line 12, Exit B. From the centre, take Line 1 to Dawanglu and Line 14 to Jiangtai, Exit A, then walk about 20 minutes north.

### How much is a UCCA ticket?

It depends on the exhibition and isn’t published online; unofficial guides quote around ¥100–180. Children under 1.2 m go free. Buy via WeChat or at the desk.

### How long should I spend at 798?

Two and a half to three hours for a walk and a few galleries; half a day with UCCA and lunch.

### Is 798 worth visiting?

Yes for contemporary art and industrial architecture. On a short first trip, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall come first.

### Where is the 798 Art District?

In Dashanzi, Chaoyang District, on Jiuxianqiao Road — about 12 km north-east of Tiananmen Square, beyond the 4th Ring Road.

### Why is it called 798?

After one of the sub-factories of Joint Factory 718, a 1950s electronics plant designed by East German engineers.

### Is 798 good for kids?

Yes — the outdoor sculptures and murals are free to explore, and children under 1.2 m enter UCCA free with an adult.

## How we checked

The English core comes from search results and related questions: 798 Art District tickets, hours, how to get there, is it worth it, what to see, UCCA, Mondays. UCCA and M WOODS hours are from the museums’ own websites. Wanderin China says UCCA opens daily and another guide says Wednesday to Sunday; UCCA’s website says Tuesday to Sunday, so we use that. UCCA doesn’t publish a price; guides quote ¥100–180, so that row is marked checking. Galleria Continua’s hours come only from listings, and we found none for Pace. Sources disagree on the district’s size (Beijing government 30 ha, Visit Beijing 60 ha), so we leave it out. Visit Beijing and English Wikipedia date 798 Space to 2002, one blog to 2003; we use 2002. Walking times are from China Bound (1.5 km) and Visit Beijing (about 20 minutes); the Gaojiayuan distance is from Wikidata coordinates. There is no Line 12–Line 14 interchange at Gaojiayuan: the Line 14 station was shelved (English Wikipedia, UCCA website).

## Sources

- UCCA (official website): hours, admission rules, tickets, transport, history
- M WOODS (official website): hours and address
- Visit Beijing (official Beijing tourism portal): 798 (2017 — entry, gallery hours, Mondays; 2020 — history, buses, festivals)
- Beijing Municipal Government (english.beijing.gov.cn): 798 as Asia’s largest Bauhaus-style industrial complex (2024); Enjoy Art Museum (2024)
- English and Russian Wikipedia: 798 Art Zone; Gaojiayuan and Jiangtai stations, Line 12; Wikidata Q1203470
- China Bound (China Daily-affiliated portal, July): metro exits, buses — unofficial
- Wanderin China: journey times, UCCA exhibition prices — unofficial
- YesGo notes on China and Beijing: payment for foreign visitors, distances

---

This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.