Coinciding with the 870th anniversary of the founding of the capital of Beijing, a "Brilliant Central Axis" exhibition is presented at the Capital Museum, with three parts: Magnificent Central Axis, Cultural Central Axis, and Eternal Central Axis. The exhibition brings together 53 artifacts from 17 institutions, including the Palace Museum, Luoyang Museum, Anyang Museum, Xi’an Museum, and Zhejiang Provincial Museum, to guide visitors to experience the changes in the ancient capital of Beijing through the Central Axis.

Located in the core area of the ancient capital, the Beijing Central Axis was built in the 13th century and formed in the 16th century. After more than 700 years of development, it eventually formed a spatial complex composed of a series of palace buildings, ceremonial ritual buildings, city management facilities, historical landmarks, historical streets, bridges, and sites.

Tan Xiaoling, deputy director of the Capital Museum, said: "The majestic Beijing Central Axis, which runs from north to south, can be regarded as the most shining symbol for the ancient capital." The exhibition systematically shows the origin, historical development, promoting process, and conservation of the Central Axis. "Through the exhibition, we can clearly understand that the Central Axis was evolved step by step in the history and has a profound connection with the present."

The 16-meter-long sand table is the largest piece of exhibit in the entire exhibition. The "Magnificent Central Axis" exhibit creates a theater-style immersion space that presents a three-dimensional panorama of the Central Axis—the 7.8-kilometer-long Central Axis, which starts from the Drum Tower in the north, passes through the Wanning Bridge, Jingshan Mountain, the Forbidden City, Southern End Main entrance (Duan Men), Tian’anmen, the Outer Jinshui Bridge, Tiananmen Square and its complex, Zhengyang Gate, and the road remains of the southern section of the Central Axis, and reaches Yongding Gate in the south, with the Ancestral Temple and Imperial Divine Temple, the Temple of Heaven and Xiannong Altar laid out symmetrically on both sides. Visitors can overlook the Central Axis and enjoy the full view of the staggered ancient buildings and the crossing Hutong streets.

The longest and best-preserved Central Axis in China not only brings together the essence of the entire city's architecture, but also concentrates on the humanities of ancient and modern times.