The National Art Museum of China is located on Wu Si Street. It is focused on displaying, collecting and researching the works of contemporary Chinese artists. The museum was named by Chairman Mao Zedong.
The National Art Museum of China covers an area of 30,000 square meters with a construction area of 17,051 square meters and exhibition halls are 6,000 square meters. Construction began in 1958 and was completed in 1962. It was one of the Ten Great Constructions celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is the largest art museum in China. It underwent extensive renovation in 2002 and was reopened on July 23, 2003.
The structure is a modern construction imitating the traditional attic style. Its roofs are decorated with yellow glazed tiles and there are corridors and pavilions around the perimeter. The main museum building contains three levels.
There are a total of 13 exhibition halls in the museum, and the exhibits are illuminated by Ultra-violet free fluorescent lighting. The area of the round hall is 480 square metres and it is designed for hanging the large-sized art works. The East and West side halls in the first floor, totalling 470 square metres, are equipped with large glass exhibition cabinets. Each of the four corner halls cover an area of 500 square metres; the exhibition spaces on the second and third floors are opposite the main hall; the new painting collection storeroom occupies an area of 5,000 square meters.
In the museum, there are fine-arts exhibitions, a marketing hall and an art works service department.
The art museum has collected more than 60,000 contemporary and folk fine art-works. Its carries excellent works spanning a long timeline and includes diverse art styles like Chinese ink paintings, canvases, prints, sculptures, Spring Festival pictures, cartoons, picture posters, pencil sketches, iconography, calligraphy, water-colour paintings, and varnish paintings. It also includes craft-style art works like puppets, shadow play works, paper-cuts, kites, mud toys, embroideries and so on.
Exhibitions feature individual painting exhibitions, collective painting exhibitions, film exhibitions, calligraphy exhibitions, children's painting and fine folk-works exhibitions.
The museum hosted the 1998 International Fine Arts Year. The annual visitor numbers average one million.
Add: 1 Wusi Dajie, East District, Beijing, China, 100010
Museum hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (No Entry after 4:00 p.m.)
Open: all year round
Museum Admission: Ticket: Free
Getting to NAMOC: Bus: 2, 3, 8, 60, 101, 103, 104, 108, 109, 111, 112, 420, 810, 814, 819
Other Services:
1. Inquiry, depositary, NAMOC exhibition information, brochure, wheelchair and pram can be obtained at the Information Desk.
2. Valid ID card can rent Chinese and English audio guides for permanent exhibitions.
3. Introduction of NAMOC and information about collections can be accessed at the computer guides at the main, east and west entrances.
4. Ramps at the main entrance, elevators and washing rooms for physically challenged visitors are available in NAMOC.
