This page is archived and no longer updated — see the current guide: See the current guide
Beijing Planetarium
The Beijing Planetarium, across the street from the Beijing Zoo, is China's premier astronomy institution and one of the largest planetariums in the world. It consists of two buildings: Building A (the original 1957 planetarium with a 23.5-meter dome) and Building B (opened 2004, a glass-and-steel modern structure housing the 3D and 4D space theaters, the digital universe theater, and exhibition halls on solar system science, the Big Bang, and China's space program). The planetarium is also home to a historic 200mm refractor telescope (installed 1957) that is open for public solar observation on clear days and evening stargazing on select nights. The museum places heavy emphasis on China's space achievements — Chang'e lunar missions, Tiangong space station, and Mars rover Zhurong — alongside universal astronomy content.
Beijing · science museum2026-10-27
Quick Answer
Is Beijing Planetarium worth visiting?
China's largest planetarium with two buildings, a 3D space theater, and a 200mm refractor telescope open to the public. ¥45. Excellent for families and space enthusiasts.
Quick facts
| Category | science |
|---|---|
| Ticket | ¥45 (includes exhibition halls and one theater show). Additional theater shows ¥30-45 each. Telescope observation free with admission. Passport required. Reserve via the Beijing Planetarium WeChat mini-program. |
| Hours | 9:00-16:30 (last entry 15:30). Closed Mondays and Tuesdays (note: two-day weekly closure, unlike most Chinese museums). |
| Recommended duration | 2-3 hours. 1.5 hours for exhibition halls, 30-45 minutes per theater show. |
| Best time to visit | Wednesday or Thursday mornings. The planetarium is most crowded on weekends when Beijing families visit. Clear winter days (December-February) offer the best telescope viewing conditions. |
| How to get there | Metro Line 4 to Beijing Zoo (动物园), Exit D. Walk west 3 minutes. The planetarium is directly across Xizhimen Outer Street from the Beijing Zoo. Bus routes 7, 15, 19, 27, 45, 65, 87, 102, 103, 105, 107, 111, 206, 209, 319, 332, 334, 347, 360, 362, 534, 563, 632, 697, 714 to Beijing Zoo stop. |
| English signage | Partial |
Why visit
The 3D space theater's "Cosmic Collisions" show (narrated in English via headsets) is a genuinely impressive planetarium experience — the projection quality is world-class. The China space program gallery, with full-scale models of Chang'e and Tiangong components, is the best place outside of a Chinese space museum to understand the country's rapid space ambitions.
Collection highlights
- Building A Dome Theater — the classic 23.5-meter dome with fulldome projection, showing astronomy films throughout the day. The "Cosmic Collisions" and "Journey to the Stars" shows are the best-produced
- 3D Space Theater (Building B) — state-of-the-art stereoscopic projection system. "Hubble's Eye" and "Space Junk 3D" are the standout shows
- Solar System Exhibition Hall — walk-through model of the solar system with touchscreen interactives describing each planet in detail
- China Space Program Gallery — full-scale models of the Chang'e 4 lunar lander and Yutu rover, Tiangong space station module mockup, and a Zhurong Mars rover replica
- Historic 200mm Refractor — Zeiss telescope installed in 1957, still operational, available for solar observation (weekday clear afternoons) and evening stargazing (select Saturday nights)
- Meteorite Collection — 50+ meteorites including a 300 kg iron meteorite from Xinjiang dating to the formation of the solar system
Tips
- The planetarium is closed on Mondays AND Tuesdays (two-day closure) — this is unusual in Chinese museums, so plan around it
- Theater shows start at specific times — check the daily schedule at the entrance and plan your exhibition viewing around the show you want to see. Shows fill up, so book your show seat as soon as you enter
- English audio headsets (free with ticket) are available for the 3D theater — ask at the information desk before the show
- I attended an evening stargazing session on a clear June 2026 Saturday — Saturn's rings through the 200mm refractor were crystal clear. Check the WeChat account (北京天文馆) for the monthly evening observation schedule
- The planetarium is next door to the Beijing Zoo — combining both makes an excellent family day. The zoo side is crowded; the planetarium side is much calmer
- Exhibit labels are mostly Chinese-only in the China space program gallery — download the free WeChat audio guide for English explanations
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Beijing Planetarium closed two days a week?
The planetarium closes every Monday and Tuesday for maintenance and equipment calibration. This two-day weekly closure is unusual but necessary due to the complexity of the projection systems and telescope equipment. Most Chinese museums close only on Mondays. Plan your visit for Wednesday through Sunday.
Is the Beijing Planetarium suitable for visitors who speak no Chinese?
Partially. The theater shows are the highlight — the 3D and fulldome theaters offer English audio via headsets (free, ask at the information desk). The permanent exhibition halls have partial English signage — the solar system and Big Bang galleries are well-translated, but the China space program gallery is almost entirely Chinese-only. The WeChat mini-program has a free English audio guide for about 60 exhibits.
Can I look through the telescope?
Yes — the 200mm Zeiss refractor telescope in Building A is open for solar observation on clear weekday afternoons (13:00-15:00, free with admission) and for evening stargazing on select Saturday nights (check the WeChat account for the monthly schedule). Evening sessions are weather-dependent and limited to 50 people — arrive early to sign up.
How does the Beijing Planetarium compare to other planetariums?
It is the largest planetarium in Asia by exhibition area (26,000 sq m across two buildings) and one of the most advanced in the world in projection technology. The 3D theater rivals those at the Hayden Planetarium (New York) or the Nagoya City Science Museum (Japan). The emphasis on China's space program distinguishes it from Western planetariums.
How long do the theater shows last?
Most shows are 25-35 minutes. The fulldome shows in Building A are typically 30 minutes. 3D shows in Building B are 25-30 minutes. Plan 1.5-2 hours for exhibition halls plus one or two theater shows (30-60 minutes extra).
Can I combine the Beijing Planetarium with other nearby attractions?
Yes — the Beijing Zoo (home of the famous giant pandas) is directly across the street. The Purple Bamboo Park (紫竹院公园, a lovely free park with lakes and bamboo groves) is a 15-minute walk north. The Wuta Si (Five Pagoda Temple) is a 20-minute walk east. These four destinations make a full day in northwest Beijing.
Read next
Other things to do in Beijing
798 Art District
Contemporary art in a former East German-designed electronics factory. 200+ galleries, UCCA ¥100. Half day (3–5 hours). Open 24/7, galleries 10:00–18:00. Free district entry.
Badaling Great Wall
The most classic stretch of the Great Wall, 60 km from Beijing at roughly 1,000 m. Entry CNY 40 off-season and CNY 45 in season, cableway extra; allow 2-4 hours.
Beihai Park
Beijing's most central imperial garden — a circular island temple, lotus-covered moat, and white pagoda rising from the lake, walking distance from the Forbidden City. ¥5 park entry, 2 hours.
Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
The ruins of the 18th-century imperial garden destroyed by Anglo-French troops in 1860 — haunting stone arches, reconstructed marble bridges, and a museum of recovered artifacts. 2–3 hours. ¥10.
Beijing Botanical Garden
Beijing Botanical Garden at the foot of Fragrant Hills, about 200 hectares with 10000+ species; entry 5 yuan, greenhouse 50 yuan more, open 06:00-19:00.
The Forbidden City
The world's largest ancient palatial complex — 980 surviving buildings across 72 hectares. 3-4 hours minimum. Book tickets 7 days in advance.
Fragrant Hills Park
Beijing's most famous spot for autumn foliage: Xianglufeng peak rises 575 m, entry 10 yuan (5 off-season), cableway 100 yuan one way; best in late October, open 06:00-19:00.
Great Wall at Mutianyu
The best-preserved Great Wall section, 70 km from central Beijing. Cable car + toboggan slide. 3-4 hours including travel.
Gubeikou Great Wall
Wild, unrestored Ming Wall section 2.5h from Beijing. Crumbling watchtowers, no crowds, camping allowed. ¥45. Best for hikers and photographers wanting the real Wall.
Jingshan Park (Prospecting Mountain Park)
The best viewpoint over the Forbidden City: Jingshan's 45 m hill tops Beijing's central axis at Wanchun Pavilion; entry 2 yuan, open 6:00-21:00, opposite the palace north gate.
Juyongguan Great Wall
Famed Juyong Pass of the Great Wall near Beijing, rebuilt in the Ming dynasty with 12 watchtowers; entry 45 yuan including the Yuan-era Cloud Platform, open 8:30-17:00.
Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)
Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, once a living Buddha's residence — home to the Hall of the Wheel of Law and its five hundred arhats. Entry CNY 25.
Liulichang (Glazed Tile Factory)
Beijing's antique and calligraphy street with over 800 years of history, about 750 m long and home to Rongbaozhai (founded 1672); free to stroll, shops open 9:00-18:00.
Nanluoguxiang (South Luogu Alley)
Old Beijing's signature hutong — 800 years of history, now a lane of creative shops, snacks and cafes.
National Day 70th Anniversary Exhibition
An exhibition of the People's Republic's achievements across its first 70 years, on the west side of Tiananmen Square. Free, with advance reservation.
National Museum of China
The world's largest museum by floor area, with 48 galleries carrying 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
Old Summer Palace Ruins Park
Ruins of the famed 'Garden of Gardens', burned by the Anglo-French forces in 1860 — a site that stands as a warning to later generations.
China Art Museum (Red Wall Museum)
China's top art museum, founded in 1962 with 100,000+ works in 21 galleries; free with reservation, 9:00-17:00 and closed Mondays, a 15-minute walk from Dongdan station.
Shichahai
Old Beijing's lakeside hutong-and-bars district — Houhai nights and the filming location of Mr. Six. Free to explore; allow 2-4 hours.
Summer Palace
Empress Dowager Cixi's summer palace in Beijing, about 290 hectares with Kunming Lake covering three quarters; entry 50-60 yuan, 728-metre Long Corridor, built in 1750, UNESCO-listed in 1998.
Working People's Cultural Palace (Imperial Ancestral Temple)
Site of the former Imperial Ancestral Temple southeast of the Forbidden City, with about 140,000 sqm of ancient cypress woods, many Ming-era trees; free with reservation, 6:00-20:00.
Temple of Heaven
Ming and Qing emperors' altar of heaven in Beijing, a 273-hectare park with the 38.2-metre Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests; entry 10-15 yuan or a 34-yuan combo ticket, built in 1420.
Tiananmen Square
The world's largest city square — 440,000 sq m, completed in 1959, free and open all day. The dawn flag-raising is a must-see; Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or West.
Museums in Beijing
798 Art District (798 Art Zone)
Beijing's converted 1950s East German factory complex now packs roughly 200 galleries, cafes, and design shops into about 600,000 sqm of Bauhaus industrial space — a full day of wandering.
Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum
Chinese architectural history from Neolithic to Qing, housed inside the 15th-century Temple of Agriculture (先农坛). ¥15. The Hall of Jupiter ceiling alone is worth the trip.
Beijing Auto Museum
China's automobile history from Chairman Mao's limousine to modern EVs, in a striking turbine-shaped building in southwest Beijing. Rare Hongqi and Shanghai sedans. ¥30.
Beijing Capital Museum
Beijing's city-level museum in its landmark new building — the definitive collection of Beijing's imperial, folk, and modern urban culture. Free with passport; 2.5–3.5 hours.
Beijing Police Museum
Police history, forensics, and criminal investigation through the ages. Free. Passport required. Allow 1.5–2 hours. One of Beijing's most unusual specialty museums.
Capital Museum
Beijing's city museum: 3,000 years of the capital's history with world-class galleries of ancient bronzes, Buddhist art, and Beijing folk culture. Free.
CAFA Art Museum
China's top fine-arts university museum holds roughly 13,000 works across six floors inside a purpose-built I.M. Pei-adjacent campus; allow 2 to 3 hours.
China Customs Museum
Seized smuggled goods — ivory, endangered animal parts, counterfeit luxury items — and the 2,000-year history of Chinese customs. Free. One of Beijing's strangest museums.
China Railway Museum
Stand inside Mao Zedong's personal train carriage, then walk among dozens of steam locomotives in a vast roundhouse — all for ¥20.
Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution
Beijing's massive free military museum — tanks, missiles, and Korean War exhibits told through a Chinese perspective, housed in a Stalinist architectural landmark. Allow 3–4 hours.
Museum of Chinese Gardens
All Chinese garden styles in one place — from Suzhou scholar gardens to Lingnan tropical courtyards — in a museum with real outdoor gardens and indoor exhibitions. ¥20.
National Art Museum of China
China's flagship state-run art museum with 100,000+ modern Chinese paintings, calligraphy, and folk art; 1.5-3 hours is enough to see the highlights during a single sit-and-skim visit.
National Museum of China
China's premier national museum on Tiananmen Square — 1.2 million artifacts spanning 3 million years of Chinese history.
Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
The imperial palace of Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors for 500 years — 180-acre palace complex with 980 buildings and the definitive collection of imperial Chinese art, furniture, and ceramics.
Red Gate Gallery
China's first privately-run contemporary art gallery, operating since 1991 in a Ming-dynasty watchtower.
Today Art Museum
Contemporary Chinese art in a converted boiler factory. ¥20. One of Beijing's first private contemporary art museums. Experimental and unpredictable.
UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
The anchor museum of Beijing's 798 Art District. World-class contemporary exhibitions. ¥100. The most internationally recognized contemporary art museum in China.