Beijing | China Arts and Crafts Museum

The China Arts and Crafts Museum (China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum) is a national-level museum located at No. 16, Hujing East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The museum covers an area of 91,126 square meters, with a length of 201 meters (north to south), a width of 75 meters, and a height of 50 meters. It has 6 floors above ground and 2 floors underground, housing 7 exhibition halls and 1 multifunctional hall. The architectural design draws inspiration from the proportions of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, with a symmetrical structure both vertically and horizontally. The facade is divided into three sections, from bottom to top: a stone layer, a transparent platform layer, and an overhanging pavilion, symbolizing the 'Three Talents' concept of heaven, earth, and human harmony in traditional Chinese culture. The brown copper-colored metal grille structure on the exterior is derived from traditional architectural elements such as window patterns and display shelves, organically integrating traditional patterns with modern architectural frameworks, giving the building a dignified yet dynamic and transparent aesthetic quality. The China Arts and Crafts Museum (China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum) is a public welfare institution under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with the purpose of collecting and displaying Chinese arts and crafts masterpieces, showcasing representative projects of intangible cultural heritage, and inheriting and promoting excellent traditional Chinese culture. It undertakes the protection, identification, restoration, and development of Chinese arts and crafts and intangible cultural heritage projects, as well as related scientific research, domestic and international academic exchanges, public education, social services, and the digital collection, storage, and internet information big data sharing of projects and inheritors. The museum's functions include displaying excellent traditional Chinese culture, promoting the aesthetic view and core socialist values of the Chinese nation, and establishing cultural and national confidence. Its main responsibilities are the collection of cultural heritage art treasures, the exhibition of physical heritage and protection projects, and the display and performance of living heritage and protection projects. Since its opening on February 5, 2022, the museum has held more than 20 exhibitions, received a total of 900,000 visitors, undertaken nearly 500 official receptions and more than 30 foreign affairs receptions, and created a series of characteristic social education brand projects. The exhibitions in the museum cover a variety of arts and crafts categories, such as ceramics, lacquerware, brocade, embroidery, metal crafts, carving, and galleries, showcasing Chinese arts and crafts masterpieces from different historical periods and the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation. The completion of the China Arts and Crafts Museum (China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum) fills the gap of a national-level museum for Chinese arts and crafts and intangible heritage, serving as a national cultural palace that displays excellent traditional Chinese culture, promotes national aesthetic views and values, and establishes cultural and national confidence. Its historical evolution is as follows: • The China Arts and Crafts Museum was established in 1990, originally located at No. 101, Fuxingmennei Street, northeast corner of Fuxingmen Bridge, Xicheng District, Beijing (now Parkson Shopping Center), and was successively under the Ministry of Light Industry and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. In 2006, it was transferred to the former Ministry of Culture and managed by the China Academy of Art. After moving out of the original site in 2008, it was without a permanent location. • In 2011, the project was approved by the State Council and the National Development and Reform Commission, and the site was selected in 2013. After a public tender, the joint venture of the China Academy of Building Research and GMP International Architects from Germany was chosen as the design unit. • In 2018, the National Development and Reform Commission approved the feasibility study report of the project. • The foundation was laid in March 2019, the underground structure was capped on January 13, 2020, the main structure was capped on July 31, 2020, and the construction was completed and accepted on January 5, 2022. • On February 5, 2022, the China Arts and Crafts Museum and China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum were inaugurated, and the opening ceremony of the 'Chinese Treasures - Exhibition of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage and Arts and Crafts' was held in Beijing. The museum was also approved to add the name 'China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum'. During the period without a permanent location, the museum fully leveraged its collection advantages, holding a series of public welfare arts and crafts exhibitions, academic touring exhibitions, special exhibitions, and academic activities, actively building a platform to showcase the mainstream development and latest creative achievements in the field of Chinese arts and crafts. It has hosted 5 'China Contemporary Arts and Crafts Biennale', becoming a brand event that displays high-level contemporary Chinese arts and crafts creations.