A fusion of futuristic and traditional Chinese elements, the National Centre for the Performance Arts, endearingly known as The Giant Egg, is an arts center containing an opera house in Beijing. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, the immense open space, greenery and man-made lake were envisioned to complement the red walls of the surrounding ancient buildings and the Great Hall of the People near the Forbidden City. The ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass resembles an egg floating on water, and this iconic feature looks especially eye-catching at night. Watching a performance here will be an experience of a lifetime, with the Opera hall (2416 seats), Music Hall (2017 seats) and Theatre Hall (1040 seats) equipped with state-of-the-art facilities; even walking through the entrance hallway that goes underneath the lake is a novelty. Do keep a lookout for the latest performances and if you happen to miss something interesting, the Giant Egg also sells records of past performances under the in-house label NCPA Classics.