Capital Museum

The Capital Museum is Beijing's main municipal museum, dedicated specifically to the city's 3,000-year history rather than China as a whole. Reopened in 2006 in a striking new building — a bronze cylinder partially embedded in a glass cube — it has 5 floors of exhibitions including Ancient Capital Beijing (the history of the city), Beijing Folk Customs (Lao Beijing folk life), Ancient Chinese Bronze Art, Ancient Buddhist Statues, and rotating special exhibitions. The Folk Customs gallery is unique — it recreates traditional Beijing hutong life with reconstructed rooms, courtyard scenes, and shop interiors that explain how 老北京 actually lived. Free entry with a passport (reservation via the museum's WeChat mini-program up to 7 days ahead). Generally far less crowded than the National Museum, with shorter queues. Closed Mondays. Metro Line 1 to Muxidi Station, exit directly into the museum plaza.