Beijing - National Museum of China
Exhibit inside the National Museum of China
National Museum of China Slideshow
National Museum of China Photo Gallery (Downloadable Pictures)
The National Museum of China sits to the east of Tiananmen
Square and south of East Chang'an Street, opposite to
the Great Hall of the People. Finished at the same time,
The National Museum of China and The Great Hall of the
People were both among the "Ten Great Constructions"
completed for the 10th birthday of the PRC. The National
Museum of China was built on the basis of the former Museum
of Chinese History and the former Museum of Chinese
Revolution, being the most inclusive museum of time-honored
Chinese culture and history in the country. After four
year's renovation and expansion, the new National Museum
reopened in March, 2011 ranks among the largest modern
museums in the world.
The Museum of Chinese History developed from The National
History Museum which was constructed in 1912 at the site of
Beijing Guozijian originally. Later it moved to the Meridian
Gate (Wumen) and the Upright Gate (Duanmen) of the Forbidden
City. After the founding of the People Republic of China,
the government decided to build a new museum to the east of
Tiananmen Square in August, 1958. Thereby, a new structure
named The Museum of Chinese History was born in the next
September.
The Museum of the Chinese Revolution grew out of the
Preparatory Office of Central Revolution Museum that came
into existence in March, 1950. The Preparatory Office was
set in Circular City (Tuancheng) of Beihai Park at the
beginning and moved to the Hall of Martial Valor of the
Forbidden City before long. In October, 1958, a new building
took shape to the east of Tiananmen Square. August, 1959 saw
the completion of the building. August of the next year was
the time when The Museum of the Chinese Revolution
was presented and the Preparatory Office was eliminated. Its
official opening was on July 1st, 1961.
In September, 1969, The Museum of Chinese History and The
Museum of the Chinese Revolution were combined as the
Revolution and History Museum of China. Later they went back
to their separate buildings in the early years of the 1980s.
On February, 28, 2003, The National Museum of China was
inaugurated.
The National Museum of China was closed again for renovation
and rebuilding in 2007 and reopened on March 1, 2011. The
new one is two times larger than the previous one. The
exhibition themed The Road to Rejuvenation once inaugurated
in celebration of the 60th birthday of the PRC in 2009 is
the first display in the new National Museum. The northern
exhibition area was unveiled firstly to the public.
(TravelChinaGuide.com)
