Free Museums, Dog & Kids' Hikes, and More Family-Friendly Fun

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Thanks to a combination of Typhoon Doksuri and the local school holidays kicking in, it looks like we’re still in for more gray weepy skies and fewer family-friendly events than usual. But fret not, there are still places to go and things to do in Beijing this weekend that will keep the whole family happy!

Firstly, if you haven’t yet visited these free museums in Beijing, why not take advantage of this gloomy weather to go enjoy them?

Beijing Museum of Natural History

国家自然博物馆 (Guójiā zìrán bówùguǎn):

It’s a great family-friendly place to spend a morning or afternoon at, with kids exploring the colorful exhibitions and you brushing up on your knowledge of the diversity of life on earth. The three-story building’s most fascinating area probably has to be the ancient reptiles hall located on the first floor. The permanent exhibition displays dinosaur skeletons and fossils, some of them intact and very realistic.

There’s also a dinosaur park where kids get to see a lifelike exhibit with massive, head-shaking, roaring and blinking dinosaurs in their natural habitats. The rest of the exhibitions feature mammals, animals from all over the world, plants, and aquatic animals. The “Amazing Africa” exhibition was pretty cool for the kids to see with all the life-sized wild animals in vivid African scenery. There is also an aquarium in the basement as well as a 4D cinema on the third floor and a gift shop on the second.

Even though the museum is extremely kid- and family-friendly, there are a lot of stairs, so strollers are a no-go.

The best part – admission is free for all! Do note that you must make online reservations at least one day before the visit. The easiest way to do it is through the museum’s website or official Wechat account. You’ll need to choose the date and provide your passport number.

Location: 126 Tianqiao Jie, Dongcheng District

Hours: Tue-Sun 9am-5pm

Price: Free

National Art Museum of China

中国美术馆 (Zhōngguó měishù guǎn):

In one previous editor’s opinion, NAMOC remains one of the best state-run museums in the country (despite its programming occasionally being hijacked for more nationalistic purposes). Its bimonthly rotating exhibitions usually highlight masters in the Chinese cannon while its permanent collections focus on Chinese traditional and folk arts (including kites, toys, and puppets), as well as the occasional foreign artist. The museum is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary and featuring pieces from some of its most prominent exhibitions.

NAMOC is big, so we don’t recommend trying to see the whole thing in one day, especially if you are with very small children, but as it’s free of charge you can take it in bite-sized chunks, and come back as often as you like. Engage older children by asking them to describe the feelings and colors that they spot in various artworks, and play color bingo with little ones, asking them to find five artworks with blue in them, five with red, and so on. Once you’re all done, you can even cap it all off with a family meal at Jing-A Taproom in the nearby Longfusu complex.

Location: 1 Wuxi Jie, Dongcheng District

Hours: Tue-Sun 9am-5pm, last entry at 4.30pm

Price: Free

China Science and Technology Museum

中国科学技术馆 (Zhōngguó kēxué jìshù guǎn):

For the little astronaut, and by far the hottest ticket this summer for educational fun. Since China put its first robotic lunar rover on the moon in 2013 the space program has been growing at an … astronomical rate. This museum also houses the country’s first permanent fully functioning space station so kids can get as close to the real deal as possible. Visitors can become an astronaut for the day and experience such unique activities as seeing how people sleep, eat, work, and train in space. Located inside Olympic Village, this state-of-the-art facility will provide hours of hands-on entertainment for the entire family. Best part? Kids under 8 years old or 1.3m enter for free!

Location: 5 Beichen Road, Chaoyang District

Hours: Tue-Sun 9am-5pm, last entry at 4.30pm

Price: From RMB 326 for one adult and child (> 8 years old or 1.3m enter free)

Next, we’ve got a few upcoming dog-friendly and family-friendly events!

Goat Canyon play and picnic

Hike a relatively easy 2–3km up ‘Goat Canyon’ to find a perfect outdoor play area: pools of clear water, large boulders, grassy areas, and a choice of sunny or shaded spots to set up for a picnic.

Kids club: relaxed outings for kids to enjoy some family time in nature. Best for ages 5–12. Younger children may need to be carried for most of the way on this hike.

Where: Meet up at Liangmaqiao Subway area / Starbucks at Lido Metropark Hotel

When: Aug 5 Sat 8am - 5pm

Price: ¥380 / ¥340 for members / ¥200 for kids 6+ / ¥180 for kids 4–5

Riverside Tails & Trails Scouting Trip

Join Dominic from Our Beijing on a 7km dog-friendly trail walk in the natural outskirts of Miyun District this Sunday afternoon. The price is reduced to RMB 300 per person on this special scouting trip and dogs are free! Do note that the maximum group size is limited to ten people, so register early through the QR code in the poster below. Don’t forget to pack enough water and snacks for the 7-hour journey, including travel.

When: Sun Aug 6, 1-8pm

Where: Meet up at Liangmaqiao

Price: RMB 300

Mommy & Me Bilingual Yoga With SENIA

SENIA, an organization led by a group of international teachers, educational psychologists, parents, and other professionals working with children with special educational needs, will be hosting a series of four events for kids and parents with the goal of fostering a harmonious and inclusive community atmosphere. This is their third event in this series and it is a bilingual mother and child yoga event. For details and to sign up, please scan the third QR code on the poster.

When: Aug 10, 4-6pm

Where: DangDai MOMA, Dongcheng District

Price: RMB 50

And don't forget these on-going family-friendly exhibitions and brunch specials!

The World of Peter Rabbit at UCCA

Beatrix Potter is one of the world’s most popular children’s authors. For more than 100 years, her beautifully illustrated stories and her legendary life have captured our imaginations.

When: May 27- Sep 5, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm

Where: UCCA Lab, 798 Art District, No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Price: RMB 139 for a family of three

EPSON teamLab Massless Art Exhibition

This kid-friendly exhibition has been extended to Sep 30, so catch it if you haven’t yet!

Becoming part of the artwork and understanding how alive the world around us really is is the main idea behind this awesome exhibition. There are floating clouds you can walk through, an infinite crystal universe to experience, and typhoon light balls that continuously move and change color when pushed by another light ball. One of the really awesome parts of the showcase is the Sketch Ocean exhibit, where visitors get to draw a fish on a special piece of paper and see their fish swim out into the ocean with fish drawn by others!

When: Tuesday to Friday – 10.30am-6pm (no admission past 5pm)
Weekends and Holidays – 10.30am-8pm (no admission past 7pm)

Where: Joy City Mall (Chaoyang)

Price: RMB 138 for kids, RMB 198 for adults, free for kids under 2

Sunday Brunch at Zarah

Indulge yourself with an all-you-can-eat buffet made with fresh and real ingredients where many home-made, nutrient-rich delicacies will be waiting for you every Sunday from 10am – 2pm. Zarah offers a good balance between vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies with a different menu every week.

Reservations are highly recommended.

When: Every Sunday from 10am-2pm

Where: 46 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼东大街42号

Price: RMB 228 per adult
RMB 98 for kids 6-12

Images: Courtesy of the organizers, Pexels

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