Beijing Capital Museum

The Capital Museum re-opened recently in a new location. It used to be housed in the Confucian Temple and its new location couldn’t be more different! Its new structure is sleek and dramatic. When you walk in, notice the huge bronze sculpture that is both inside and out of the rest of the building. Inside the structure are displays on painting and calligraphy. The scale of the entrance area is greater than any other museum we've visited.

At a cost of 1.23 billion Yuan (US$147 million), the new venue can accommodate 2,000 visitors daily. With a floor area of more than 60,000 square meters, Capital Museum is second largest museum in China. There say that there are 5,622 items on display, almost 10 times the number of exhibits displayed at the old venue.

The museum pays tribute to Beijing life in bygone eras. It houses exhibits on daily life in the hutongs on the top floor. There are also exhibits on Beijing Opera with a mock opera house to watch the video clips of performers in action. Yet we found ourselves more interested in the fantastic views from the windows and the interesting architectural choices of the building than the exhibits themselves. This is why the museum's greatest attraction - its design - is also its biggest flaw. It makes the exhibits seem small. Although they claim 60,000 square meters of space, so little is being used for display. At least 3/4 of the space is taken up by the dramatic entrance. Much of the displays have a very 'reproduced' feel and the actual artifacts get lost and forgotten. The museum is a great reflection of Chinese culture today. Although it claims to embrace its past but really it is only looking forward. History as kitsch instead of something to be studied. It might work for the culture, as things are certainly getting better, but it doesn't work for a museum of history.

Yet, the museum might be worth a stop in on a rainy day or if you are in the area. It is very modern and has great English signs available throughout the museum. It also has the potential to be much better. Our hope is that the exhibits will be reworked and more of the 200,000 relics will make their way into the displays. It is a place that we will go back to regularly to see what is made of it. Since it was only recently opened, some of the problems might be growing pains.

The new museum also features a cultural and museum activity area for the public. Planned activities include pottery making, a presentation showing how relics are repaired and preserved, Chinese ink rubbing, and face-painting Peking Opera style. These programs might make the the museum worth a stop in as well.

The museum is about equal distance between Muxidi and Nanlishilu #1 Line stations and could be combined with a visit to the White Cloud Temple and the Military museum which are also in the area.