The China Railway Museum

The China Railway Museum
中国铁道博物馆

Addresses:
Dongjiao Branch: No 4, Nanchun Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing
Zhengyangmen Branch: No A2 (Jia 2), Qianmen Street, Dongcheng district, Beijing
Zhan Tianyou Memorial: North of the Great Wall of Badaling, opposite the South Wall’s ascending cable car stop, Yanqing district, Beijing.
Opening hours:
Dongjiao Branch: 9 am-4 pm (last entry 3:30 pm, from Tuesdays to Fridays), 9 am-4:30 pm (last entry 4 pm, on weekends and national holidays)
Zhengyangmen Branch: 9 am-5 pm (last entry 4 pm), closed Mondays
Zhan Tianyou Memorial: 8:30 am-4:30 pm (last entry 4 pm), closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
General admission:
Dongjiao Branch: 20 yuan ($2.78) for adults, 10 yuan for children over 1.2 meters, students, teachers, and seniors aged between 60-65, and free for children under 1.2 meters, and seniors aged above 65
Zhengyangmen Branch: Free (online reservation)
Zhan Tianyou Memorial: 20 yuan for adults (free for children of 1.2 meters and under, those with disabilities, and seniors aged 65 or above).
Tels:
Dongjiao Branch: (+86-10) 64381317 (+86-10) 64381517
Zhengyangmen Branch: (+86-10) 67051638
Zhan Tianyou Memorial: (+86-10) 69121516

The China Railway Museum is the only national institution dedicated to railways in China. Originally established as the Science and Technology Museum under the Ministry of Railways in 1978, the museum was officially renamed in 2003. Since then, its mission has been to collect, preserve, display, and compile artifacts, research achievements and other exhibits related to Chinese railways.

The museum comprises three iconic sites in Beijing—the Zhengyangmen Branch, Dongjiao Branch and Zhan Tianyou Memorial.

The Zhengyangmen Branch is located southeast of Tiananmen Square and was converted from the former Zhengyangmen East Station of the Beijing-Fengtian Railway, which witnessed many historic events in 20th-century China. It showcases the arduous trajectory of Chinese railways since 1876, as well as the remarkable achievements and bright future of railway construction since the reform and opening-up in 1978. With a large collection of pictures and artifacts, the Zhengyangmen Branch also promises an immersive experience for every single visitor through a series of engaging devices like train simulators and sandbox models.

The Dongjiao Branch opened to the public in 2003, displaying over 100 locomotives from various periods, and different models throughout the history of Chinese railway. Among the highlights are the "Number Zero" steam locomotive, the earliest surviving locomotive in China, and the "Mao Zedong" and "Zhu De" locomotives, which were named after revolutionary leaders in modern Chinese history.

Opened in 1987, the Zhan Tianyou Memorial pays tribute to Zhan Tianyou (1861-1919), a well-known Chinese railway engineer in the earlier 20th century and pioneer of modern Chinese railways. The memorial features four exhibition areas to introduce the whole of Zhan’s life and underscore the contributions he made to the history of Chinese railway. Visitors can see his surveying and mapping instruments, tools, seals, medals, and construction equipment used in building the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway.

In addition to the traditional functions of a railway museum, the China Railway Museum also promotes patriotism through its learning resources, and educates the public on the science behind railway construction.