National Art Museum of China

Written by Sally Guo Updated Jul. 9, 2021

The Museum of National Art or the National Art Museum of China is a heaven for art and culture lovers who want a glimpse of the majestic historical art both in China and from all over the world. Chinese art is very unique and is unlike no other, and the museum is the best place to experience it. The museum also lends a glimpse of other nations’ art, giving Chinese people a chance to explore other cultures. To sum it up, the museum is a homage to art itself; thus, it always affords an awe-inspiring experience to its visitors.

The museum, which covers an area of 18,000 square meters, is divided into 17 exhibition halls spanning five floors. The main building features an exhibit of the ancient Chinese building styles. There you will see ancient Chinese attics, ethnic architecture, and China’s traditional yellow glazed tiles.

Collections

All in all, the museum’s collections sum up to a total of over 100,000 pieces of art. The pieces range from traditional and modern, giving visitors a glimpse of China’s past and present. Visitors can marvel at the masterpieces, award-winning artworks, and folk works. Featured painters include:

  • Ren Bonian
  • Wu Changsuo
  • Huang Binhong
  • Qi Baishi
  • Xu Beihong
  • Jiang Zhaohe
  • Situ Qiao
  • Li Keran
  • We Zuoren
  • Ye Qianyu
  • Luo Gongliu
  • Wu Guanzhong

Foreign artworks are also featured, including four oil paintings by renowned painter Pablo Picasso and 177 pieces of German artworks donated by collectors Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ludwig back in 1999.

Exhibitions

The main highlights in the museum are the major exhibits that are held there. Over the years, the museum has held several domestic and international exhibits, including:

  • Original Works Exhibition of 500 Years Collected by Armand Hammer
  • Rural Landscape Painting Exhibition of the 19th Century in France
  • Original Works Exhibition of Pablo Picasso
  • Engraved Painting Exhibition of German Expressionism
  • Oriental Spirit: Art Exhibition of Joan Miro
  • Grand Exhibition of African Art
  • Italian Art – Italian Life
  • Art in America: 300 Years of Innovation

One of the most popular exhibitions held at the museum is ‘The Lights of Dun Huang’. The exhibit was held in 2008. It set three new records in terms of the number of daily, monthly, and singular visitors. In just two months, the exhibit brought 660,000 visitors to the museum.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the Museum of National Art in China is when you’re particularly interested in the exhibition being held there. But if you’re not particularly after a specific exhibition, anytime is a good time to visit the museum and check out its regular collections.

How to Get There

To get to the museum, visitors can take City Bus Routes 2, 3, 8, 60, 101, 103, 104, 108, 109, 111, 112, 420, 810, 814, 819. The museum is also accessible by car. There is a counted parking area to accommodate guests with cars.

Travel Tips and Reminders

If you’re a true art lover or if you are visiting for educational or research purposes, bring a valid ID card so you can rent Chinese and English audio guides for the permanent exhibitions in the museum.

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