With a combined floor area of more than 63,000 square meters, the Capital Museum is a treasure trove of cultural relics with some even dating back to the New Stone Age. More than 200,000 artifacts are carefully curated and exhibited in halls with different themes, from bronze to paintings and jade to porcelain. The well-preserved, white marble Stele of the Emperor Qian Long, standing at a commanding height of 6.7m is one of the many highlights.

Look out for the inscription on the stele in Manchu, Kai, and Han characters. For porcelain lovers, head to Hall E1 to marvel at the 170 pieces from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Estimated to be worth RMB 10 million in 2000, relish your eyes on an exquisite white and blue vase emblazoned with a red dragon. Be dazzled by the beautifully carved jade, especially a white one used by Emperor Qian Long for his artworks.