It is way too hot outside right now to let your child play in the heat, thus, indoor activities are definitely preferred.
Museums are not only a way to spend time indoors but also to allow your child to learn more about the world around them, so perhaps this list of family-friendly, interactive museums is what your summer is missing.
- Beijing Lu Xun Museum 北京鲁迅博物馆
Lu Xun is a famous Chinese writer whose works have impacted generations of people. His book, Madman’s Diary, is the first Chinese book written in modern Chinese, which allowed Chinese civilians who did not understand the “old Chinese” to also be able to read books, not just the royal people. Outside the museum, there’s a cafe that offers more than 20 flavors of ice creams and is also perhaps a must for summer.
Find it:
19 Gongmenkou Ertiao, Fuchengmennei Dajie, Xicheng District
西城区阜成门内大街宫门口二条19号
Ticket: Free (needs booking 3 days in advance)
Opening hours: 9am-4.30pm (no entry starting at 3:30pm, closed on Mondays)
Tel: 5087 2677
2. China Modern Literature Museum 中国现代文学博物馆
We are still in the world of literature, and the China Modern Literature Museum offers a trip back in time into the history of Chinese literature and the evolution of modern literature. You will be able to see all the remarkable writers that have made change to the history of Chinese literature and how their work have reflected the historical background of their time period.
Find it:
45 Wenxueguan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区文学馆路45号
Ticket: Free (if a personal guided tour is required, then you’d need to book in advance), needs ID card to enter
Opening hours: 9:00-4:30pm (no entering starting from 4pm)
Tel: 5731 1800
3. Beijing Rongtang Comic Book Museum 北京荣唐连环画博物馆
If your child is interested in art and drawing for graphic novels, then the Beijing Rongtang Comic Book Museum is it. The museum offers hundreds of different comics throughout Chinese history and displays how Chinese comic books have evolved over time.
Find it:
14-201 Yixintang Cultural and Creative Park, 1 Dougezhuang, Chaoyang District
朝阳区豆各庄1号易心堂文创园14栋201室
Ticket: Free (needs reservation on official WeChat account: 北京荣堂连环画博物馆)
Opening hours: Contact the phone number provided below for accurate opening hour information
Tel: 6737 9140
4. China Customs Museum 中国海关博物馆
The China Customs Museums offers over 32,000 customs artifacts from the Zhan Guo times to the modern days, including more than 5,000 pictures and more than 13,000 objects. It includes exhibits that explain how Chinese customs have evolved over time and how remarkable figures have changed the course of history.
Find it:
6 Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng District
东城区建国门内大街6号
Ticket: Free, no reservation needed, requires ID for entry
Opening hours: 9am-4.30pm (no entrance starting from 4pm)
Tel: 6519 4458
5. China Printing Museum 中国印刷博物馆
The China Printing Museum offers exhibits and artifacts that display the history and evolution of the printing process in China. The museum also offers realistic figures that mimic the printing scene of workers in the factories, as well as artifacts of the ancient works of famous Chinese writers in history.
Find it:
25 Xinghua Beilu, Huangcun, Daxing District
大兴区黄村兴华北路25号
Opening hours: 9am-5pm (no entrance starting from 4pm)
Ticket: Free, no reservation needed
Tel: 6026 1243 / 8128 2770
6. Beijing Police Museum 北京警察博物馆
The Beijing Police Museum is now open to the public! The museum offers displays of settings of old police stations and figures that simulate the clothes and weapons of police officers throughout Chinese history. The criminal investigation section on the fourth floor, which displays a dossier of site survey, is the most popular part of the entire museum, especially among children.
Find it:
36 Dongjiaomin Xiang, Dongcheng District
东城区东交民巷36号
Opening hours: 9am-4pm (no entry starting from 3.30pm)
Ticket: Free, reservation required, ID needed for entry
Tel: 8522 5018
7. China Post Stamp Museum 中国邮政邮票博物馆
As a person who likes to collect postage stamps, I have a slight bias towards this museum. Still, other than that, the museum setting of post offices and the different interesting postage stamp designs throughout history are also breathtaking. Other than designs, figures of historical letter-writers are also displayed on the third floor.
Find it:
6-D Gongyuan Xijie, Dongcheng District
东城区贡院西街6号D座
Opening hours: 9am-4pm (no entrance starting at 3pm)
Ticket: Free, requires reservation
Tel: 6521 3894
Images: Dianping
