Beijing museums receives 100 million visitors in 2024

Beijing has solidified its reputation as China's "City of Museums," with 246 registered museums and 56 additional museum-like institutions — the highest numbers in the country. In 2024 alone, the city's museums staged more than 2,000 exhibitions and received around 100 million visitors.

At the Natural History Museum of China, a special exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci blending science and art has drawn over 150,000 visitors since opening in June. The museum is also expanding both its collections and facilities. A new venue, 10 times the size of the current one, is under construction and is set to open in 2029 with 600,000 exhibits, said Wan Shilin, the museum's Party secretary.

Smaller institutions are also thriving. Beijing Dabaotai Site Museum, newly reopened after more than a decade of renovation, welcomed nearly 130,000 visitors in just three months with its exhibitions on Han dynasty culture and artifacts.

Meanwhile, Beijing is piloting a "museum season" as a citywide cultural festival. Running through October, it features study-tour routes and programs linking museums with technology, tourism, performance, and education. New cultural landmarks, such as the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing and the Lu County Ancient City Ruins Museum, are also further enriching the capital's museum landscape.

Bai Chong, an official of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, said Beijing will further promote itself as a city of museums, making museum visiting a vibrant part of everyday urban life, and inviting residents and visitors alike to learn more about the history of Beijing through its museums.