The Capital Museum stands on the western side of the city near Muxidi, in a large modern building whose design deliberately echoes an ancient bronze vessel. It opened in its current form in 2006 and is the main museum devoted to the history of Beijing itself, as distinct from the National Museum of China, which covers the country as a whole.
What is inside
The permanent galleries trace the city's development from Neolithic settlement through the Yan and Ji states, the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing capitals, and into the twentieth century. There are excellent sections on the city's water systems, its city walls and gates, its market streets and its religious life. Because the subject is one city rather than an entire civilisation, the displays feel unusually coherent; you come out understanding how Beijing came to look the way it does.
The strongest collections
Three areas stand out. The bronze gallery holds ritual vessels from the Shang and Zhou periods with cast inscriptions. The Buddhist sculpture gallery displays gilt bronze and stone figures from across China, many of them large and superbly preserved. The ceramics, jade, calligraphy and painting galleries are also substantial, and the museum holds a fine group of objects connected to the scholar's studio - brush pots, ink stones, seals and furniture. Temporary exhibitions are usually of high quality and often travel internationally.
Visiting well
The museum is very large, so choose two or three galleries rather than trying to cover everything. There are English labels on the main exhibits and an English audio guide, and the building is fully accessible with lifts, seating and a cafe. Admission is free, but the museum caps daily visitor numbers and requires advance booking online with a passport or ID, so reserve a slot before you travel rather than turning up on the day.
Getting there
Muxidi station on Line 1 is the nearest metro stop, a short walk from the museum, and the White Cloud Temple is a similar distance in the other direction, which makes the two easy to combine. The museum is closed on Mondays. Allow two to three hours for a focused visit and half a day if you want to see it thoroughly.
