Beijing · MUSEUMS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 museum visits justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Meet near the Bank of China Donganmen Branch for a guided visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Choose English or Spanish, a small group of 15 to 20, ticket-only entry, or a private tour with flexible timing and optional Royal Treasures Museum access.
“We had a great time with our tour guide Linda! The tour was very interesting 👍”
Visit Beijing’s Jingshan Park for its hilltop view over the Forbidden City, quiet imperial gardens, historic pavilions, and possible evening cultural shows. Your $6 ticket includes entry and an English PDF guide, but not a live guide or audio guide. Go early for cooler weather and fewer crowds.
“The ticket provider was very kind to text me all the info, i even asked for more help and he/she were more than happy to help me at any time, it was just excellent! I loved it”
Spend four hours with an English-speaking guide such as Mike, Cathy, William, Diana, or Herbie at Beijing’s National Museum. Hotel pickup, one-way taxi transfer, and museum ticket booking are included. Focus on ancient China, Buddhist art, jade, and key historical objects.
“Beijing Half Day: National Museum of China In-depth Tour with Subway Transfer Cathy my tour guide was outstanding from start to finish 😀 Her knowledge of Chinese history was exceptional and made my tour very enjoyable . I found Cathy to be very easy to get along with , more a friend than a tour guide . when my tour finished she arranged a taxi back to my hotel and even called the taxi to see if I got back to my hotel safely . I highly recommend this tour especially if you want to know more about Chinese culture and history .”
Spend about nine hours with an English-speaking guide visiting the Forbidden City, Treasure Gallery, Clock Exhibition Hall, Jingshan Park, and a quieter Badaling Great Wall section. Central Beijing pickup, transport, tickets, and a Peking duck banquet are included. Guides may include Carolyn, Jackie, Jason, or Goo.
“Tour guide Jason did a great job and was extremely knowledgeable on history of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Small tour group with this tour allowed for lots of questions. Covered a ton of ground in a single day, this is the tour if you only have 1 day and can start out early.”
Meet an English-speaking guide at your hotel, then visit Lama Temple, the Confucius Temple, Guozijian, and nearby hutongs. You will see the 54-foot sandalwood Buddha, watch local worship, and hear clear cultural explanations from guides such as Anne, Cassie, Mike, or Ranee.
“Very good tour guide. Aurora has been explained every detail in a understandable and easy way and the tour became more interesting.”
This booking service arranges foreign visitors’ entry to Beijing’s National Museum of China and Tiananmen Square for $10 per person. You receive a QR code tied to your passport, then visit the museum first during a fixed time slot before going to the square. No guide, transport, food, or audio guide is included.
“First about the booking process -> flawless as always with Viator, our QR codes for the museum entrance (incl. Tiananmen) were delivered on time before our visit and there have been no problems at all with gaining entrance to both Tiananmen and then the museum. They didn't even check the QR code as our tickets were linked with our passports and a passport scan was sufficient - very convenient and efficient (a procedure common with many sights). That it has been possible at all to acquire 2 tickets for a visit during the golden week is outstanding and I am thankful for that (appart from another two foreigners we saw…”
Spend three to four hours with a private English-speaking guide at Beijing’s Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, and Guozijian Museum. Choose a morning tour with dim sum lunch or an afternoon visit with dinner. Guides such as Lucy, Ana, Jessie, Jack, and Roy have led past departures.
“We did the tour on Sept 26, 2019 in Beijing. Our female tour guide was terrific and very knowledgeable. She was a delight to be with on our tour. The dim sum restaurant our guide took us too was delicious. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to experience the culture and the food of Beijing.”
Spend a day at Beijing’s Jingshan Park, an imperial garden beside the Forbidden City. Climb the 45.7-meter artificial hill to Wanchun Pavilion for wide views, then explore historic buildings, rare trees, flowers, and cultural exhibits at your own pace. Admission is about $6.
Spend about eight hours with a private English, Spanish, or French-speaking guide visiting Changling, Dingling, Zhaoling, the statue-lined Sacred Way, and China’s National Museum. Hotel transfers, tickets, lunch, water, and an air-conditioned car are included. Alice and Mr. Zhang have led past outings.
“Thanks so much to Alice (out guide) and Mr. Zhang (our drive) for the amazing tour the National Museum and Ming Tumbs. They arrived perfectly in time at the hotel and took us directly to the Museum. Alice not only showed us masterpiRead more”
Choose a $9.99 Forbidden City entry ticket or a small-group option with a guide such as Demi. Expect Meridian Gate entry, imperial architecture, and optional hutong food stops and beer tastings. Bring the passport used at booking and follow your timed morning or afternoon entry slot.
“We booked this expecting a just the ticket of the Forbidden City but unfortunately the tickets ended very early so they advised us to buy a tour...it costed a little bit more and I must say not everything went super good because they made uRead more”
Spend about two hours at Beijing’s China National Film Museum, exploring 21 halls on Chinese film history, major directors, filmmaking, and a special exhibition. Your separate e-ticket QR code provides direct entry. Text is mainly in Mandarin, so bring translation help if needed.
“The exhibitions regarding the Chinese filmography history were very interesting. The entrance to the exhibition areas with the dinosaurs was awesome. The staff is very friendly and helpful.”
Visit Beijing’s National Art Museum of China with a pre-booked entry reservation. Plan on about two hours with an English textual and visual guide, a large collection of modern and contemporary Chinese art, and works ranging from ink painting and calligraphy to sculpture. Bring your passport or ID card.
“Easy to redeem at the ticket office to enter.”
Visit Prince Kung’s Palace Museum at your own pace with entry and an English PDF guide. See He Shen’s former Qing Dynasty residence, refined halls, rockeries, water features, and gardens. Plan at least two hours, arrive early, and consider adding the evening light show and cultural performance if offered.
“Wake early. After 11:00 o clock it’s overcrowded and yo cannot see anything.”
You’ll visit Mutianyu with a private guide such as Miko or Mia, spend about 1.5 hours on the Wall, then explore China Aviation Museum’s 200-plus aircraft. Hotel pickup, transport, water, and entrance fees are included, while food and the optional cable car cost extra.
“Went to the wall with Miko as my tour guide and had an awesome time. Miko was very professional and knowledgeble answering every question I had. 10/10 reccomend booking this tour service!”
Visit Beijing’s Yuxiandu Chinese Royal Cuisine Museum for a museum introduction, Qing dynasty ceremonial show, and banquet based on imperial recipes. Choose lunch or dinner, expect an 80-minute cultural performance, and consider first-row seating for the clearest view. English subtitles are provided.
“Excellent food and entertainment! We loved it. Appreciated the English subtitles on the walls for the entertainment- we were easily able to enjoy the show.”
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