Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution

The Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution on Fuxingmenwai Avenue in Beijing's Haidian district is China's largest military museum. Opened in 1960 as one of the Ten Great Buildings for the tenth anniversary of the People's Republic, it covers about 159,000 square metres and traces the history of Chinese armed forces from the Opium Wars through the Sino-Japanese War and the civil war to today's People's Liberation Army. Exhibits include tanks, aircraft, missiles and the U-2 spy plane shot down in 1964. The monumental entrance hall with its 95-metre tower is a classic of Socialist architecture. Entry is free but a passport is required. Anyone interested in Chinese history told from the official perspective will find a sheer wealth of material here.