# National Museum of China, Beijing

> The National Museum of China, on the east side of Tiananmen Square, holds the country's finest collection of bronzes, jade and ceramics, from the Neolithic to the Qing. Entry is free but needs a real-name booking up to 7 days ahead, released at 17:00. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:00. Allow 2.5–3 hours.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/national-museum-of-china

- City: [Beijing](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing), China
- YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 2 h 30 min
- Opening hours: Tue–Sun 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:00; 1 June–31 October until 17:30, last entry 16:30. Closed Mondays except public holidays
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free, by real-name reservation only
- Booking window: Up to 7 days ahead; new dates release daily at 17:00 Beijing time; no on-site booking
- Where to book: The museum's official website (English version available), or its WeChat mini-program and official account
- ID: Original passport — the one used for the booking
- Entry slots: 9:00–11:00, 11:00–13:30, 13:30–16:00 (to 16:30 June–October)
- Limits: One booking per account per week, up to 5 people; one booking per ID per day, four per month
- Cancellation: Until 15:00 on the day; three no-shows mean a 30-day booking ban
- Entrance: North Gate, on Chang'an Avenue
- Metro: Line 1, Tiananmen East, Exit C or D
- Audio guide: Paid, English available; unofficially ¥48
- Address: 16 East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng District (东长安街16号)
- Coordinates: 39.90361, 116.39500
- Facts checked: 04.11.2026

## Key facts

- **Free** — entry with a real-name reservation; only some temporary shows charge (source: National Museum of China (en.chnmuseum.cn); Travel China Guide)
- **7 days** — booking window; new dates release daily at 17:00 Beijing time (source: National Museum of China (en.chnmuseum.cn, www.chnmuseum.cn))
- **Mondays** — closed, except on national public holidays (source: National Museum of China; Beijing Municipal Government (english.beijing.gov.cn))
- **1912** — the museum traces its history to the preparatory office of the National History Museum (source: English Wikipedia; China Daily)
- **1959** — today's building went up for the PRC's 10th anniversary, as the square was rebuilt (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **2003** — the Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution merged into one (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **2011** — reopened in March after a major rebuild and expansion (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **313 m** — length of the building; 149 m wide and 40 m tall (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **≈ 833 kg** — weight of the Shang dynasty Houmuwu ding, the heaviest ancient bronze known (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **3 slots** — a day: 9:00–11:00, 11:00–13:30, 13:30–16:00 (source: National Museum of China (en.chnmuseum.cn))

> **No reservation, no entry** There's no ticket office and no walk-in queue. The museum admits only visitors with a real-name booking for that day and time slot, checked against the original ID used to book — for you, your passport. New dates open at 17:00 Beijing time, a week ahead, and weekend morning slots go quickly, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.

## National Museum of China tickets: price and what's included

The ticket is **free** — it's simply a timed reservation. Foreigners and Chinese visitors pay nothing for the permanent galleries, which is where the famous pieces are. Some temporary exhibitions charge separately; if one interests you, check the museum's site when you book.

You may spend money on an **audio guide** (around ¥48, according to Travel China Guide — not an official figure), a museum-guided tour, lockers, the café and the shop. These are usually paid by WeChat Pay or Alipay, which accept most foreign Visa and Mastercard cards once linked; keep a little cash in yuan as a backup.

Plenty of agencies sell “National Museum tickets”. What you get is the same free booking made in your passport name, plus their fee. It's only worth it when your date is sold out and you'd rather pay than miss it.

## How to book the National Museum of China as a foreigner

1. Use the museum's **official website**, which has an English booking page with email registration, or the museum's **WeChat mini-program**. Guides disagree on whether WeChat booking needs a Chinese phone number, so the website is usually the easier route.
2. Verify your identity: enter your name and **passport number** exactly as printed, with the ID type set to passport (护照). The museum warns against unofficial booking channels and scalpers.
3. Pick a date up to 7 days ahead and one of three slots: **9:00–11:00**, **11:00–13:30** or **13:30–16:00** (the last one runs to 16:30 from June to October). New dates are added **at 17:00 Beijing time every day**.
4. Add your group — **up to 5 people** per booking. Children aged 14 and under must be booked by an adult and enter with them. Each account gets one booking a week, and cancelled ones still count, so put everyone on the first one.
5. Save the confirmation or QR code. You can cancel until 15:00 on the day; three no-shows on the same ID trigger a 30-day booking ban.

## National Museum of China opening hours

The museum opens **Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–17:00**, with last entry at 16:00. From **1 June to 31 October** it stays open until 17:30, last entry 16:30. It's **closed on Mondays** except on national public holidays; the museum posts its holiday schedule in advance, so check its notices.

It also closes now and then for events on Tiananmen Square — in 2025, for example, on the day before National Day. If a date simply never opens for booking, that's usually why.

The 9:00–11:00 slot is the pick: the Ancient China galleries are still quiet, and you're out in time for lunch and an afternoon elsewhere.

## How to get to the National Museum of China

1. **Metro:** take Line 1 to **Tiananmen East**, Exit **C** or **D**, as the museum advises. Exit D brings you out right by the North Gate queue.
2. Already on Tiananmen Square? The museum lines its east side, but you can't enter from the square: the way in is the **North Gate** on Chang'an Avenue, by the same Tiananmen East station.
3. From Wangfujing, it's one stop west on Line 1, or roughly 15 minutes on foot along Chang'an Avenue, according to guides.
4. From Capital Airport (PEK): Airport Express to **Beixinqiao**, Line 5 south to **Dongdan**, then Line 1 two stops west to Tiananmen East.
5. From Daxing Airport (PKX): Daxing Airport Express to **Caoqiao**, Line 10 to **Gongzhufen**, then Line 1 east to Tiananmen East.
6. **Buses** 1, 2, 52, 82, 120 and Sightseeing Line 2 stop at Tian'anmen East. Guides say taxis and DiDi can't pull up at the door, so expect to be dropped across the avenue and use the underpass.
7. Join the queue for your slot at the North Gate, show your QR code and passport, and go through security. Over-60s and visitors with disabilities can use a separate priority lane with proof.

## Do you need a Tiananmen Square reservation for the museum?

No. The museum and the square are **separate bookings**. The museum's North Gate faces Chang'an Avenue, outside the fenced square, and you walk to it straight from the metro. The museum's own pages say nothing about a square reservation, and travel guides confirm the museum booking is enough.

The reverse isn't guaranteed. Some guides say you can walk onto the square after your visit without a square booking; we found nothing official on that. If you want both on the same day, book both: the square for the morning or the flag lowering, the museum for a slot in between.

The grand colonnaded west facade faces the square, but individual visitors now go in only through the North Gate. Older guides mention a ticket office at the West Gate — that dates from the days before the all-reservation system.

## What to see at the National Museum of China

- **Ancient China** — the core permanent exhibition, on the basement level (B1) according to guides. It walks through eight periods in order, from prehistory through the Shang and Zhou, Qin and Han, Tang, Song, and Ming and Qing. Short on time? Do just this, in about 90 minutes.
- **The Houmuwu ding** (once read as Simuwu) — a Shang dynasty bronze cauldron weighing about 833 kg, the heaviest ancient bronze known.
- **The Four-Ram Square Zun** — a Shang bronze wine vessel with a ram's head at each corner, one of China's most famous bronzes.
- **The jade burial suit sewn with gold thread** — Han dynasty, about 2,000 years old.
- **The Hongshan jade dragon** — a curled Neolithic jade, among the earliest dragon images.
- **Themed galleries** on porcelain, jade, Buddhist sculpture, money, costume and adornment, bronze mirrors and ancient food culture. Gallery numbers shift, so grab the floor plan inside.
- **The Road to Rejuvenation** — modern Chinese history from the mid-19th century on, upstairs. It's the official narrative, worth a look if you want to see how China tells its own recent story.
- **Temporary exhibitions** — listed at the entrance; some need a separate reservation.

> **Security, bags and photos** Expect airport-style security. Lighters, knives, tripods and selfie sticks are banned. Larger bags go into the paid left-luggage counter at the North Gate after screening, and there are smart lockers with hourly fees inside. Photos are fine in the permanent galleries, but without flash. Filming for publication, lectures and surveys need the museum's prior approval.

## Is the National Museum of China worth it, and how long do you need?

Yes, if ancient China interests you at all: this is the best single collection of bronzes, jade and ceramics in Beijing, it's free, and it's a cool refuge from summer heat right next to the square. Allow **1.5–2 hours** for Ancient China alone and **2.5–3 hours** with a couple of themed galleries; you won't see it all in a day.

If you only have a day or two and haven't done the [Forbidden City](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/forbidden-city), do that first — it's the bigger experience and the harder booking. English labels are short, so an audio guide or a good book makes a real difference. The Road to Rejuvenation galleries can feel repetitive without background in modern Chinese history.

## A short history of the museum

The museum traces its origins to **1912**, when a preparatory office for a National History Museum was set up in Beijing. Today's building went up in **1959** for the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic, together with the Great Hall of the People across [Tiananmen Square](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-square). It housed two institutions: the Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.

They merged in **2003** as the National Museum of China. After a major rebuild that kept the old facades and added new galleries behind them, it reopened in **March 2011**. The building runs 313 m along the square and rises 40 m.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Booked my date and slot with my passport number
- [ ] Whole group on one booking, children with an adult
- [ ] The same original passport with me
- [ ] Screenshot of the confirmation or QR code
- [ ] Not a Monday or an announced closure day
- [ ] No lighter, knife, tripod or selfie stick
- [ ] WeChat Pay, Alipay or cash for lockers and the audio guide
- [ ] Separate Tiananmen Square booking, if I want the square too

## National Museum, Forbidden City or Tiananmen Square

|  | National Museum | Forbidden City | Tiananmen Square |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entry | Free | ¥40 Nov–Mar, ¥60 Apr–Oct | Free |
| Booking | Up to 7 days, from 17:00 | 7 days ahead, from 20:00 | 1–7 days, from 12:00 |
| Hours from November | 9:00–17:00 | 8:30–16:30 | 5:00–22:00 |
| Mondays | Closed | Closed | Open |
| What's there | Antiquities from across China | The emperors' palace | Square, flag ceremony, monument |
| Time needed | 2.5–3 hours | 3–4 hours | 45 minutes |

All three need a real-name booking with your passport, and none covers another. On a first trip, put the Forbidden City first; add the museum when you want the backstory to everything else you see in Beijing.

## Beijing's historic sights compared

Every historic sight in Beijing 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

## Tiananmen, the museum and Wangfujing in a day

Mao's Mausoleum and the square in the morning, the National Museum in the afternoon, then an evening stroll down Wangfujing. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Chairman Mao Memorial Hall](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/mao-mausoleum) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free, booking required
2. [Tiananmen Square](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-square) — YesGo score 68/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free, passport booking
3. [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
4. [Wangfujing Street](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/wangfujing-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free

## Don't mix it up

The National Art Museum of China is a different museum, in a different building, with its own booking. The Palace Museum is the Forbidden City, and the National Palace Museum with the imperial collections is in Taipei, Taiwan. The National Maritime Museum of China is in Tianjin, not Beijing.

## Tips

- Set an alarm for 17:00 Beijing time exactly 7 days before your visit — that's when your date opens.
- Put your whole group on one booking: the account won't allow a second one that week.
- Take the 9:00–11:00 slot and head straight to Ancient China while it's quiet.
- Start in the basement: the headline pieces are there; do the upper floors as energy allows.
- An audio guide or a decent history of China transforms the visit — English labels are brief.
- Never plan it for a Monday, and check for closures linked to events on the square.
- Google Maps is blocked in China without roaming or a VPN — save an offline map and 国家博物馆 in characters.
- There's little food nearby: use the museum café or head one metro stop east to Wangfujing.

## Questions

### Is the National Museum of China free?

Yes. Entry to the permanent galleries is free, but you need a real-name reservation up to 7 days ahead. Only some temporary shows, the audio guide and lockers cost money.

### How do foreigners book the National Museum of China?

On the museum's official website, which has an English booking page, or its WeChat mini-program. Choose a date and slot and enter your passport details. New dates release at 17:00 Beijing time.

### Can I visit without a reservation?

No. There's no ticket office or on-site booking, and you'll be turned away without a booking for that day and slot.

### What are the opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:00; from 1 June to 31 October until 17:30, last entry 16:30. Closed Mondays except public holidays.

### Do I need a Tiananmen Square reservation to visit the museum?

No — the entrance is the North Gate on Chang'an Avenue, outside the square. But the museum booking doesn't replace a square booking either.

### Which metro station is closest?

Tiananmen East on Line 1, Exit C or D. The North Gate entrance is a few minutes' walk.

### Do I need my passport on the day?

Yes, the original of the passport you booked with, plus the confirmation or QR code.

### How long do you need at the National Museum of China?

1.5–2 hours for the Ancient China galleries, 2.5–3 hours with some themed halls. Seeing everything would take more than a day.

### Can you take photos inside?

Yes, in the permanent galleries, but no flash, tripods or selfie sticks.

### Is the National Museum of China worth visiting?

Yes for anyone curious about ancient China — it's free and the bronzes and jades are world-class. On a short trip, see the Forbidden City first.

## How we checked

Free entry, hours, Monday closure, booking window, 17:00 release, slots, limits, cancellation, the North Gate, metro and buses come from the museum's English and Chinese websites and the Beijing government's listing. The museum's current rules ask for a “valid ID” without naming passports; passport booking for foreigners comes from Travel China Guide, Wanderin China and Beijing Bendibao, so that row is marked checking. We found no official daily visitor cap; Xinhua quoted a number of available bookings in summer 2024, but it's a figure that changes, so we don't show it. That a square booking isn't needed for the museum comes from Travel China Guide and Wanderin China; the museum's site doesn't address it. A West Gate ticket office appears only on an old museum page; current rules name the North Gate. Ancient China's B1 location, the Hongshan dragon, the audio guide price and the taxi drop-off rule come from guides only. Guides place the Road to Rejuvenation on different floors, so we say “upstairs”. Collection size varies widely between sources (620,000 to 1.4 million items) and isn't shown. Ding weight: English Wikipedia gives 832.84 kg, Russian 833 kg.

## Sources

- National Museum of China, en.chnmuseum.cn — Opening Hours, Getting Here, Admission, Notice to Visitors; booking rules effective 1 Aug 2025
- National Museum of China, www.chnmuseum.cn — Visit section (参观): hours, booking, North Gate, left luggage
- National Museum of China — National Day holiday opening notice, 2025
- Beijing Municipal Government, english.beijing.gov.cn — museum listing, hours from 1 Sep 2024
- Travel China Guide, 2026 — booking for foreigners, Tiananmen Square booking, floors, audio guide, lockers
- Wanderin China, 2026 — passport booking, metro Exit D, taxis, security
- Beijing Bendibao (bj.bendibao.com), 2023 — booking channels, entry at the west side of the North Gate
- Xinhua via The Star, 2024 — 17:00 release, scalping crackdown
- English and Russian Wikipedia: National Museum of China; Wikidata Q1074318; China Daily — history since 1912

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