The initial work on the Capital Museum started in 1953, and it was formally open to the public in 1981. The Beijing Confucian Temple was its original site. In order to accommodate a larger collection and a better service to visitors, the new museum was built in December, 2001 and opened on May 18th, 2006. The Capital Museum is located at 16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie in the west extension of Chang'an Avenue, in Xicheng district. The Museum had an area of 24,800 square meters with five floors above ground and two floors underground; its floor area has now reached 63,390 square meters.

Collecting, exhibiting cultural relics, and undertaking related research are the three main tasks of the Capital Museum. It has fully adopted internationally advanced technology in its construction and ranks among the best in China. With its imposing building, abundant exhibitions, high technology and advanced services, it has placed itself in the world a leading position. Cultural relics unearthed in Beijing are its main items on display, which bear forceful Beijing features.

Exhibitions

The Capital Museum collected various kinds of cultural relics extensively over the past decades. Bronzes, porcelain ware, calligraphy works, paintings, coins, jades, seals, needlework, Buddhist statues are in its collection. Some of them enjoy a high reputation both at home and abroad for their rarity.

Most of the collections of the Capital Museum are those unearthed in Beijing after the foundation of the People's Republic of China. Some cultural relics even date back to the New Stone Age. In total, there are 5,622 pieces of cultural relics on exhibition in the main exhibition hall and in the oval exhibition hall.

Stele of the Emperor Qian Long -- Representative Treasure of Capital Museum

The Stele of the Emperor Qian Long is a treasure of the Capital Museum. This stele with a height of 6.7 meters (22 feet) and a weight of over 40 ton is constructed of white marble and is well preserved. The Stele of Qian Long is composed by the stele body, two stele caps and two stele bases. The inscription on the stele is in both Manchu and Han languages and in the Kai (regular script) characters. It contains two passages, which share the idea to demonstrate the significance of Beijing as the capital. These two passages are also the greatest value among the steles of this emperor.

In addition, the Capital Museum has many other valuable cultural relics. Its exhibition can be divided into three parts - the temporary exhibit, the main display, and the fine collection display.

Temporary Exhibit

It occupies two floors of the main exhibition hall, on the lower ground and ground floors. The items on display are constantly renewed. The culture of Beijing and other places of China and the world may all be the themes of the temporary exhibits.

Main Display

The main display includes exhibitions on Beijing history, building construction and on Beijing folk customs.

Exhibition on Beijing History (Hall C, the second floor, square exhibition hall)

Exhibits on Beijing history form the core of the exhibition and are exhibited in the central display case. They present the development of Beijing from a remote antiquity to the foundation of New China. Over 675 pieces of cultural relics and a number of diagrams and pictures are on display, including stone implements, porcelain wares, bronzes, gold and silver ware, and many jades.

Exhibition on Beijing Folk Customs (Hall F, the fifth floor, square exhibition hall)

Hutongs (lanes) and Siheyuans (Chinese traditional courtyards) are full of Beijing characters, and form the background of the exhibition. The life of people living in the courtyards in Hutong, the folk customs such as weddings, celebrations of a baby's arrival, and of festivals are vividly presented.