A glimpse through a millennium, shining through ancient and modern times. For museum enthusiasts, look here!
Recently, the China Museums Association released the "Notice on the Results of the Fifth Batch of National Museum Rating and Assessment for First-Class Museums," listing 123 museums proposed to be rated as first-class. Among them, there are three new entries in Chaoyang District: the Civil Aviation Museum, the China Railway Museum, and the China Modern Literature Museum. This brings the total number of first-class museums in Chaoyang District to six. Here's your guide, so mark it down quickly!
01 Dialogue across time with "masters": National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature
The National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature is the world's largest literature museum and the first of its kind in China, founded by literary master Ba Jin. The museum houses 901,800 items, including manuscripts and letters from famous authors, showcasing the development of modern Chinese literature and the achievements of significant writers and literary schools. It is a hub for contemporary literature research.
The museum's exhibitions are refreshed annually, and it has independently or jointly hosted over a hundred exhibitions. "The Museum's Voluntary Lectures" have been held since its establishment, inviting renowned writers, scholars, and cultural figures to share their wisdom. The museum offers free admission and features retired university teachers and literature PhDs as volunteer guides, leading visitors through the rich history of modern Chinese literature on a captivating literary journey.
Tips
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00-16:30 (last entry at 16:00)
Address: 45 Wenxueguan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Reservation: Follow the "National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature" WeChat public account to make a reservation or scan the QR code below.
02 A paradise for aviation enthusiasts: Civil Aviation Museum
The Civil Aviation Museum covers approximately 220 acres and houses over 30,000 items, including notable aircraft like the Li-2, BAe-146, Il-14, Trident, and Y-7, representing major models in the history of civil aviation. The museum features indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, including a basic display area, aircraft display area, and interactive science zone indoors, and a large aircraft display outdoors.
At the center of the indoor aircraft display area is an Il-14, the largest aircraft in the indoor section, which has carried out important missions for Chairman Mao Zedong and other leaders of the CPC. The outdoor display area features a BAe-146, a rare model in domestic museums, popular among aviation enthusiasts.
Tips
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00-16:30 (closed on Mondays)
Address: No. 200 Civil Aviation, Shoudujichang Expressway, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Reservation: Follow the "Civil Aviation Museum" WeChat public account and click "Reserve Visit."
03 Telling the story of trains: China Railway Museum
The Eastern Suburb Hall of the China Railway Museum, covering 72,000 square meters, is the largest railway locomotive and vehicle museum in China. It includes a locomotive and vehicle exhibition hall, a comprehensive exhibition hall, a time platform, and an outdoor exhibition area, displaying over 140 locomotives and vehicles from different times and types, bearing witness to the history of China's railways from inception to leadership.
Known as the "Museum of World Locomotives," it features trains from the UK, USA, Germany, France, Japan, Myanmar, and domestically built models like the Jiefang, Renmin, Jianshe, Qianjin trains, and high-speed trains such as the Hexie and Fuxing series.
The locomotive and vehicle exhibition hall is the museum's "treasure trove," containing many "antiques" like the oldest existing locomotive in China, the "treasure of the museum" No. 0 steam locomotive, the "Mao Zedong" and "Zhu De" trains named after leaders, the stylish KF1 steam locomotive, and the first generation of diesel and electric locomotives designed and manufactured after the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Tips
Admission: 20 RMB per person
Opening Hours: 9:00-16:30
Address: North side of No. 1 Jiuxianqiao Bei(North) Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Reservation: Follow the "China Railway Museum" WeChat public account and click "Reserve Visit."
In addition to these three museums, China Science and Technology Museum, China Agricultural Museum, and China National Film Museum in Chaoyang District are also rated as first-class.
Museums are cultural beacons of a city, connecting past histories and illuminating future civilizations. The government of Chaoyang District will actively promote the construction of Beijing as a "City of Museums."
Currently, Chaoyang District hosts a collection of influential museums, including nine national-level museums, the highest in the city, forming a multi-layered and diversified museum system with around 80 museums in total. It has gathered influential museum figures like Ma Weidu, Yuan Xikun, and Chen Lihua. The district explores establishing "museum-like institutions" construction models, integrating cultural spaces deeply with urban development, and implementing the "Five Entries" project to transform private collections into public treasures. Chaoyang District is becoming a cultural icon with innovative museum management mechanisms enhancing the promotion and spread of museums.
If you have the chance, you must visit Chaoyang District. Wander through its museums, admire the spiritual homes of famous people, trace the clues left by nature, and appreciate the brilliance of various industries.
Translator: JIANG Wenyi
Reviewer: BAI Jing
