National Museum of China

The National Museum of China is the national museum of China, located on the east side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is one of the largest museums in the world, with a total floor space of nearly 200,000 square meters and a collection of over 1.4 million items.

The museum was formed in 2003 by merging the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History, both of which had occupied the same building since 1959. The building itself was completed in 1959 as one of the Ten Great Buildings celebrating the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

The permanent exhibition 'Ancient China' displays artifacts from the earliest hominid times through the late Qing dynasty, including the famous Simuwu Ding (the largest ancient bronze vessel in the world), jade burial suits, and Tang dynasty tri-color glazed pottery. The 'Road of Rejuvenation' exhibition covers modern Chinese history from the Opium Wars to the present day.