City dossier
Beijing, China
Beijing's art story spans emperors and avant‑garde—imperial treasures one moment, contemporary experiments the next. The city feels like a layered scroll painting: history in the background, bold new strokes in the foreground. It's like Peking duck—crispy tradition, modern plating, and everyone fights over the best bits. Just pace yourself at the banquet beforehand; the palace halls echo magnificently.
Local motto
Beijing: Ancient Palaces, New Perspectives
Highlights
Things not to miss
Curated essentials, minus the stiff whispers. We keep the jokes light and the brushstrokes heavy.
The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
A monumental palace complex and one of the world's great museums for imperial art and history. It's like walking through a living encyclopedia—only the pages are courtyards. The sheer scale means you'll walk for miles, which conveniently helps you work off that hot pot from the night before.
National Art Museum of China (NAMOC)
A flagship museum for Chinese art, from modern masters to contemporary work. It's like Beijing's formal gallery handshake—serious, authoritative, and full of talent. The reverent silence in the galleries is strictly observed, so conduct yourself accordingly in every sense.
UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA Beijing)
A leading contemporary art institution with major international and Chinese exhibitions. It's like the city's creative amplifier—turning the volume up on what's happening now. The cavernous industrial space has remarkable acoustics, which can work for or against you.
798 Art District
A sprawling former factory zone turned art neighborhood, packed with galleries, studios, and cafés. It's like an industrial maze that decided to become a mood board. The outdoor pathways between buildings provide blessed relief for those who've sampled too many street food vendors.
Red Brick Art Museum
An atmospheric contemporary museum outside the center, known for strong exhibitions and beautiful architecture. It's like escaping the city's bustle into a quiet art retreat—so quiet, in fact, that you'll want to have finished digesting your mapo tofu before arrival.
Today Art Museum
A contemporary art museum with ambitious shows and a forward-looking vibe. It's like Beijing's 'what's next?' button—always pushing into new territory. Some installations involve unexpected sounds, which has provided convenient cover for visitors on more than one occasion.
CAFA Art Museum
The Central Academy of Fine Arts' museum—academic, contemporary, and influential. It's like stepping into the studio corridor of a top art school, only on museum scale. The earnest art students sketching in corners are too focused on their work to notice anything—a detail some visitors find reassuring.
Guardian Art Center
A sleek arts complex tied to one of China's major auction houses, with exhibitions and events. It's like Beijing's art marketplace got a museum-grade showroom. The climate control is impeccable—sophisticated ventilation systems ensure the air remains pristine no matter how many collectors crowd the previews.
Inside-Out Art Museum
An independent contemporary museum known for sharp curatorial programming. It's like finding a hidden essay in the margins—compact, smart, and worth the detour. The intimate galleries reward thoughtful visitors who came prepared, in every possible interpretation of that phrase.
Beijing Minsheng Art Museum
A contemporary museum near 798 with an industrial-modern atmosphere and big exhibitions. It's like a former factory learned how to host a gala—without losing its edge. The vast open floor plan means sounds dissipate quickly, which the regulars at the nearby dumpling shops have come to appreciate.