Beijing’s Capital Museum is in a large gray, unattractive building that doesn’t give much indication about the historical treasures and fantastic displays inside. It’s a museum about Beijing’s history, but with more interactivity than most Chinese museums.
Inside the museum’s large open interior, on one side are the main exhibits on several floors. On the other corner is a green multi-level cylindrical structure that houses more exhibits, coated in what seems to be green jade tiles. Indeed jade is what it features inside, as well as calligraphy and paintings.
The museum features historical artifacts like weapons and coins, as well as calligraphy, pottery, and bronzes. That’s to be expected and it’s nice, but there are cooler exhibits and shocking ones like erotic Buddhist statues. These Buddhist gods are holding naked females engaged in standing copulation and even fellatio.
On the top floor, there’s an impressive mock hutong neighborhood, with the “homes” featuring exhibits showcasing the folk customs and daily life of old Beijingers, from weddings to funerals, as well as art pieces.
The mock hutong is something that many Chinese museums, even good ones such as the Xian and Nanjing museums, don’t have – interactive displays, combining photos, artifacts, videos and sound recording as well as life-size settings. Chinese museums tend to focus strictly on history but neglect contemporary history and interactive aspects.
The basement features more exhibits, usually special temporary ones. When I went, the special exhibit was about ancient kingdoms in the northeast, including the Tungur people, the predecessor of the Manchu, and the Jin Dynasty, who ruled parts of Northern China in the 12th century and established their capital in Beijing.
How to get there: The museum is located in Xicheng district, near Muxidi subway station on line 1.
Chakrasamvara deity and his consort, Tibetan Buddhist statue
19th-century tablet of the imperial porcelain factory, made within AD 1821-1850
Miniature of Beijing life
White jambhala, Buddhist wealth deity
