Discover China

The National Museum of China, located to the east of Tian’anmen Square in central Beijing, has been closed for almost four years while a major expansion and renovation has taken place. It is now ready for its grand reopening day on 27 March. The museum has nearly tripled in size from 65,000 square meters to almost 200,000 square meters, making it the world’s largest museum. After already visiting two outstanding museums in China – the Shenzhen Museum and Henan Museum – I can’t wait to visit the National Museum on a future trip to China. It will undoubtedly be an outstanding experience, and probably require two or three days to take in such a great range of exhibits. Find out more in the CNTV Culture Express stories National Museum of China reopens, Inside the China’s National Museum and A centennial history of the National Museum of China.

Tian’anmen Square and the Imperial Palace (also known as the Forbidden City) were the first of Beijing’s numerous significant attractions that I visited after arriving in China’s capital on 27 December.

Tian’anmen Square takes its name from the Tian’anmen gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) to the Imperial Palace at the north of the square. Under clear blue skies I joined the many people who were in the square visiting the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, and then commenced an exploration of the Imperial Palace. I had seen photographs of the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City), but pictures can’t convey the extraordinary scale and grandeur of this vast complex.

We have since visited Beijing’s ancient Drum and Bell Towers and Prince Gong Mansion, toured historic Hutongs, and of course enjoyed Beijing’s outstanding food.