Museums in Hai Dian District (Beijing)

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

When visiting the Temple of Azure Clouds, now part of Xiang Shan Park, don't miss the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. Sun Yat-sen (1862-1925) was the founder of the Republic of China. The innermost building in the fourth courtyard of the temple serves as the memorial hall. An empty coffin to the right of the main entrance was a gift from the government of the former Soviet Union. On the left side of the hall is a collection of Sun Yat-sen's letters and manuscripts. There are also photos of him on exhibit.

Dajuesi Temple of Enlightenment

This temple offers peace and solitude. It stands at the foot of Yang Tai Hill in Beijing's western suburbs. The temple was built in 1068 in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125). The principal structures in the temple are the Maitreya (Future Buddha) Hall, the main and rear halls, the northern and southern courtyards, and a peaceful courtyard in the rear. There is a Liao Dynasty stela in the temple with a recording of the brief history of the temple. There are 50 guestrooms offered to visitors for overnight stays. Rates range from CNY130-320 per night.

Beijing Art Museum

Located in the beautiful Wan Shou Temple, the Beijing Art Museum displays 50,000 pieces of Chinese paintings, seal cuttings, jade carvings, porcelain and pottery wares, handicrafts, furniture and ancient coins. The temple itself is rarely visited and acts as a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of Beijing. Built by Empress Dowager Li in 1578, it once acted as a resting place for royalty making their way from the Forbidden City to the Summer Palace. The buildings and gardens that make up the complex are worth a visit in their own right.

Design Museum

A new edition to Beijing's art scene, the Beijing Design Museum is located within the university district of Hai Dian, thus catering to the hip student crowd. In fact, it could be said that this is one of the 'hipper' spaces in town, exhibiting everything from twentieth century film posters to philosophically warped oils to interactive mixed media projects. Definitely worth a visit as there is always something interesting and perhaps a little bit strange going on.

Cao Xue Qin Memorial Hall

As one of China's most accomplished writers, Cao Xueqin, is recognized both at home and abroad for the novel, Dream of the Red Mansion. This memorial to him exhibits manuscripts, notes and diaries, as well as providing an opportunity to see where they were all written. His furniture, writing materials, and other objects of interest are neatly displayed along with a detailed history of Cao from birth to death. The building itself is of little interest. Some English explanations are offered (but not many).

Chinese Science and Technology Exhibition Hall

Altogether a fun and educational museum, the Chinese Science and Technology Museum has some great hands-on exhibits dealing with electricity, gravity and all your favorite science experiments. Within the large Historical Exhibits hall you can learn about the lives of those scientists who have changed our lives, as well as seeing monthly exhibits, shows and displays. A giant circular screen shows films about evolution, modern science and space exploration. Call ahead for film topics and times as well as special events.

Beijing Art Museum of Stone Carving

Housed within a wing of the Ming Dynasty Five Pagoda Temple, the Museum of Art of Stone Carving contains exhibits on Qing, Ming and Tang Dynasty carvings, statues, tombs and steelies. Descriptions on the tools and methods used by each dynasty are also presented along with photos of recent stone carving exhibits throughout China. The pagoda itself was built by visiting monks from India and although it is small, it is still worth a visit.

Museum of Revolutionary Military

Ranking among the world's ten major military museums, the Museum of Revolutionary Military shows the 5,000-year history of the military in China. Exhibits are separated into five halls. The museum includes items from the Red Army's The Long March in the 1930s, as well as exhibits related to the war against Japan in the 1930s. The museum also houses a large collection of weapons dating from ancient China (such as stone axes and knives, and bronze swords) up through the modern era (guns, tanks, and bomber plans).

Beijing Big Bell Museum

This museum is found in a Buddhist temple which was built in 1733 and was named for its giant bell inside. First opened in October 1985, it is the world's largest museum that focuses specifically on ancient bells. It boasts more than 600 antique and non-antique bells. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was said that emperors used to conduct elaborate ceremonies with bells to pray for rain in a year of drought.

China Bee Museum

This popular science educational base located in the Hai Dan District is all of 150 sq feet and will defiantly take you back in time. At the museums you can find bee fossils and rock drawings also found here are 500 pictures on display, specimens, models and more than 700 pieces of bees. See the origin and evolution of bees and beekeeping history of ancient China at this museum. The museum seeks to popularize scientific knowledge and Bee Bee Products health knowledge to inspire people, so head down to this museum if you like learning and to known about bees.

Beijing World Art Museum

Witness the marriage of art and scientific technology at the Beijing World Art Museum. Come and have a look at the latest technology and be amazed. Various national and international works are displayed alongside some archaeological treasures. You'll also find exhibitions like the Centurial National Treasure Display and the Black and White-Picasso Prints.

National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature

With a large collection of books, magazines, newspapers, photos, and letters among other things, the National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature is as much a library as it is a museum. There are also more museum-like features such as exhibitions and lectures. However, the scope of the museum is not completely limited to Chinese authors, it also houses literature written by authors abroad from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other countries.