The new national art museum, the China Arts and Crafts Museum, is located on Beijing central axis. It has opened to the public on February 5, 2022 with an exhibition of 1,298 pieces of intangible cultural heritage. Come and visit the next top museum in Beijing for free!

PART 01

There is a new landmark situated on the central axis of Beijing - the China Arts and Crafts Museum, also known as the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. This is the first national art museum to showcase arts and crafts and intangible cultural heritage. Built in nearly three years, it is surrounded by various cultural venues and parks. The building covers an area of 91,126 square meters with six floors. The three-stage façade represents the traditional Chinese culture of heaven, earth and human. Entering the 2nd floor, the spacious lobby brings visual relaxation. The details also have extracted refinement of traditional patterns. The interior decorations are so harmonious that one can't help but exclaim that it deserves to be a national art museum.

PART 02 Free Admission by Appointment

On February 5, 2022, the museum was officially opened, along with the opening exhibition "Chinese Treasures - Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage and Arts&Crafts Exhibition". The exhibition is divided into eight sections and multiple categories, with a total of 1,298 exhibits. The museum is free to visit by appointment.

PART 03 Tour Guide

Masterpieces of the Great Nation

Among the several sections, the exhibition "Masterpieces of the Great Nation" on the south side of the first floor is the most magnificent one, mainly exhibiting the arts and crafts of the new era. The red-colored hall displays a variety of jade, porcelain, embroidery and other modern crafts to show the deposits of thousands of years of history and culture. This is by no means a paradise for niche enthusiasts, but a visual feast for everyone. The exhibition-within-an-exhibition in the center of the hall showcases the Four National Treasures. These four jade works were made in eight years by dozens of expert masters in cooperation, representing a new peak in the history of jade carving.

Ancient Sounds

Entering the south gallery on the fourth floor, you will first see the section titled "Ancient Sounds", which mainly showcases traditional musical instruments such as the Gu Qin. The Gu Qin is the oldest form of instrumental music in Chinese history, and is also the master of the Chinese art of instrumental music. The exhibition covers Gu Qin, compositions, Qin history, Qin theories and schools from various periods, and you can listen to Qin music performances through the headphones hanging on the wall. From time to time, there are live performances to watch.

Instruments Collection

The "Instruments Collection" section showcases the culture of traditional Chinese musical instruments, where you can enjoy a wide range of musical instruments. They are the symbols of Chinese ritual and music civilization, and the evidence of the cultural intermingling of various ethnic groups. Visitors will find a wide variety of instruments, from familiar instruments to niche ethnic instruments, as well as monographs on ancient music theory.

Paintings on the Silk Road

Starting from the beginning of Chinese cave painting at Guizi and ending at its peak Dunhuang, the "Paintings on the Silk Road" section leads the audience to an immersive experience across the millennium. The exhibition also features a 1:1 restoration of the smallest known Buddhist temple in the world, the Little Buddha Temple in Damagou, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Legend of Opera

As soon as you enter the "Legend of Opera" section, you are attracted by the theater stage in the center of the exhibition area, which is equipped with a curtain to show the works. The exhibition hall has a display of opera costumes from the Qing dynasty court. The embroidery of the clothes is woven in Jiangnan and is very luxurious. Objects from different eras have also been collected here to show the complete development of Chinese opera over thousands of years.

Seal carving Passing on Culture

The section of "Seal carving Passing on Culture" showcases seal engravings and topical copies of seal books. The 100 pieces of seal carvings from the Analects of Confucius are from the collection of the China Academy of Art.

Welcoming Chinese New Year

The "Welcoming Chinese New Year" showcases unique Chinese wood engraving pictures from the earliest Song and Jin dynasties to the bright and colorful works of modern times. From the beginning, the paintings were created with the intention of adding to the flavor of the New Year and praying for a prosperous year. Later on, the paintings have been expanded to depict secular life and express good wishes. The exhibition features more than 100 works on four themes. Here, you can find many New Year paintings that you have seen as a child.

Name: China Arts and Crafts Museum (China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum)

Address: China Arts and Crafts Museum, No. 16, East Hujing Road, Chaoyang District

Hours: 9:00-17:00 (Closed on Mondays except holidays)