Visit over 100 of Beijing's best spots with this museum pass

Consume culture, not cash, with the 2019 Beijing Museum Pass

Has the 50RMB entry fee for the Beijing Soap Museum stopped you from finally learning about the bubbly stuff that keeps us clean? Did you decide to put 50RMB towards upgrading your cell phone rather than going to the Beijing Century-old Phone Museum? Or has the Beijing Waterworks Museum's 5RMB entry fee convinced you that you’re better off buying a five-litre bottle of water than quenching your insatiable thirst for knowledge?

We know that most of the heavy-hitting museums in Beijing are free (like the National Museum of China, the Beijing Planning and Exhibition Hall and the Capital Museum). But, as not all museum entry prices were made equal, you can now get the 2019 Museum Pass that offers discounts and free entry to over 100 of Beijing's best museums and cultural sites.

While some of Beijing's museums veer towards the weird and wonderful, the museum pass is no joke. For 120RMB, the 2019 Pass grants access to 115 top-notch cultural attractions that would otherwise cost over 3,000RMB if you wanted to visit them all (which now you can do). This one-year pass includes free or discounted entry for two people in addition to other price cuts for groups. The pass comes in the form of a pocketbook with the given venue's information printed on each page. So all you need to do is head out with book in hand to enact your own version of Extreme Couponing, Beijing-style.

There is something for everyone on this list. If you're fascinated by Chinese culture, push the Museum of Tibetan Culture and the Museum of Red Chamber Culture and Art to the top of your list. For those that self-identify as architecture geeks, don’t miss out on the Beijing Stone Carvings Art Museum and the Ancient Architecture Museum. History buffs can explore the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and the Former Residence of Li Dazhao. And, if you love all things that are or once were cute and cuddly, be sure to check out the Paleozoological Museum of China and New Zealand Blue Zoo Beijing. Finally, if you're really feeling that need for speed, you have to see the Beijing Auto Museum for yourself.

If you're none of those above things – or all of them – check out the complete list by visiting the official Beijing Museum Pass site (bowuguan.com.cn). To get your hands on the key to the city's cultural treasures, just pick up the pass at almost any post office in the city or visit the site to order online. Now, get out there and be a ruthless tourist.

For details on all the best museums to visit in Beijing, hit 'Read more'.

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