Page 72 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

70 ❯❯ Beijing Area by Area Tian’an Men Square and the Forbidden City Area ❮❮ 71

Imperial City Art Museum
4 THE CULT OF MAO
MAP M5 • 9 Changpu Heyan
• 8511 5104 • Subway: Tian’an Men Mao Zedong was an ideologue whose
East • Open 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun impatience at the pace of reform often
• Adm • Audio tour available for a fee brought disaster, yet skillful maneu vering
Much of Beijing’s Imperial City was by the Party meant that he remained a
destroyed under the Communists. A heroic figure. Mao’s status diminished in
model in this museum shows just the years after his death as his influence
was over shadowed by the political and
how much has been lost, including economic reforms carried out by Deng
the wall that once encircled the city Xiaoping and other leaders.
and many temples. There are also
collections of armor and ceramics.
of the founding of the People’s
Republic. Its 14 halls, spread
over three floors, host a constant
rotation of temporary exhi bitions
of Chinese and international art.
National Museum
7
of China
MAP M5 • East side of Tian’an Men
Square • 6511 6400 • Subway:
Tian’an Men East • Open 9am–5pm
Fountain at Wangfujing Dajie Tue–Sun • www.chnmuseum.cn
Combining the original Museum of
Wangfujing Dajie
5 Chinese History and the Museum
MAP N4 • Subway: Wangfujing
of the Revolution, this huge space
One of downtown Beijing’s most offers an unsurpassed collection of
famous shopping precincts, Chinese artworks and other historical,
Wangfujing Dajie is filled with archaeological, and cultural objects.
department stores, restaurants, There are also models, documents,
and malls (see p72), as well as and photographs connected with the
several bookshops and stores selling history of the Chinese Communist
silk, tea, and shoes. To the north is Party – for political enthusiasts
St. Joseph’s, one of the city’s most only. The museum also hosts
important churches (see p42). temporary exhibitions.
National Center for
National Art Museum
6 8
the Performing Arts
of China
MAP M2 • 1 Wusi Dajie • 8403 MAP K5 • 2 West Chang An Jie
3500 • Subway: Dong Si Shi Tiao • 6655 0000 • Subway: Tian’an Men
• Open 9am–5pm daily • Audio West • www.chncpa.org
guides available for a fee This modern opera house, a major
• www.namoc.org landmark on Beijing’s skyline, hosts
China’s largest art gallery was one a year-round program of opera,
of ten key buildings erected in 1959 theater, and concerts. Designed by
to celebrate the tenth anniversary French architect Paul Andreu, it is
National Center for the
Performing Arts

Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Two-column, 8.5pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v.1.9)
068-071_Top_10_Beijing.indd 70 27/06/2017 14:33
Date 24th June 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm