1. Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA)
One of the most prestigious art galleries in the 798 Art Zone, and even in Beijing. The UCCA has a constant flow of local and international temporary art exhibitions, and a few other aspects; an art store, a design store and a creative studio. This art gallery is a highlight within the 798 art district, and is also good enough for art lovers to plan an entire day around. Thursdays are an especially great day to come here as admission is free and the center organizes hourly art walking tours.
Entrance Fee: 10 Yuan (except Thursdays), free for students.
Opening Times: 10am until 7pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Address: 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
2. Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum
Designed by famous Chinese architect Dong Yugan, the Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum is a not for profit art museum with aims to collect, research and exhibit both contemporary World and Chinese art. The museum is intricately designed to fit various art exhibitions at the same time, and be able to showcase other types of performance arts throughout the buildings and surrounding land. To top it all off, the Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum is surrounded by tranquil Chinese gardens. This museum is perfect for those keen on exploring Beijing's developing and modern art and public space movement, and is a little bit further out from the city in a newly urbanized area.
Entrance Fee: free, depending on exhibitions and shows
Opening Times: 10 am until 5:30 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Address: Hegezhuang Village, Cuigezhuang Township, Chaoyang District, Beijing
3. Egg Gallery
Caochangdi is the new 798 Art Zone, and is a located in the North of Beijing, not far from 798 if you want to fit both into one day. This area was partially made famous by Ai Weiwei, who lives and works here, often spotted by people visiting the area. Egg Gallery is a Chinese art gallery with a combination of permanent and temporary art exhibitions, and it also boasts antiques and furniture. The artists on display are both local and international, and at the moment they boast Xu Ruotao, Alain Urrutia, Wu Zhenhuan and Martin Wehmer. There is also an outdoor spot that hosts performing arts events.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Times: 10 am until 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Address: 327 Caochangdi Art Zone, Chaoyang District, Beijing
4. Feijiacun Artist Village
This artist village, towards the north of Beijing's confines, has taken in a lot of artists who used to live in the original 798 Art Zone or even in Caochangdi but can no longer afford it following the wave of gentrification and commercialization. It is perfect for those who prefer to wander around artists' workspaces as opposed to art galleries and shops. This area is way less commercial, meaning there are also no restaurants and coffee shops. However, there is no lack of independent artists who have come here for the cheap rent, as well as the abundance of materials and resources from surrounding construction sites and scrap metal locations. A few times a year there are special open days at the village, contact us for more information about planning your visit around these.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Times: 10am until 4pm, Daily.
Address: Feijiacun, Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
5. Red Gate Gallery
Red Gate Gallery was Beijing's first private gallery founded by Australian Brian Wallace in the 1980s, and is special not only for the art it exhibits, but also because of its location: the southeastern tower of Dongbianmen, one of the only Ming Dynasty towers to survive after Beijing's old city wall was destroyed. It displays objects from China, mainly a combination of the traditional and the contemporary. Some of the artists represented here include Liu Dao, Chen Qingqing, Chen Yufei and Han Qing, and there is also a range of Chinese ethnic minority art on display.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Times: 9am until 5pm, Daily.
Address: 1F and 4F, Dongbianmen Watchtower, Chongwenmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing
