Data and Facts

Forum: Longitudinal section

Key data of the building
Total floor space: 191,900 m²
Total floor space of existing building: 35,000 m²
New floor space: 156,900 m²
Overall length/breadth: 330 m × 204 m
Floors: 7 (5 above ground, 2 below)
Exhibition space: 49 rooms
Size of exhibition rooms: 500–2,000 m²
Height of exhibition rooms: 5.25–12 m

Forum
Total area/length/breadth: 8,840 m² /260 m /34 m
Height: 27 m
Construction costs: ¥ 2.5 bn / US $ 380 m

The museum in operation

• the National Museum can accommodate up to 19,000 visitors at once
• up to 30,000 people a day can visit the National Museum
• the Forum can hold up to 14,000 visitors at once
• the National Museum owns over a million exhibits
• over ten thematic exhibitions on different aspects of art and international exchange exhibitions can be put on in parallel

View from the entrance of the Forbidden City towards the Tian’anmen Square with the Chinese National Museum on the left

Entrances
At all cardinal points. Visitors to the museum enter from the west and north. The east entrance leads to the concert auditorium and cinema. The south entrance is for staff. Deliveries and the entrance/exit to parking are in the NE/SE corners.
The museum can be reached by metro, bus and car.