Charting the history of Chinese emigration from the era of the Silk Road to the present day, this is a terrific museum with full English captions throughout. Diorama-rich exhibits celebrate the plucky Chinese diaspora, from American gold-rush adventurers to the hugely influential Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. If you have even a passing interest in the subject, it's a must visit.
Overseas Chinese History Museum
Beijing
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.2 MILES
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
4.35 MILES
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8.89 MILES
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3.06 MILES
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2.18 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
2.91 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
2.78 MILES
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4.47 MILES
Contemporary art meets communist history at this thrilling enclave of international galleries installed within China's model factory complex of the 1950s…
Nearby Beijing attractions
0.53 MILES
Converted from a princely residence to a lamasery in the 18th century, the Lama Temple extends through a crescendo of ever more divine halls in a whirl of…
2. Confucius Temple & Imperial College
0.63 MILES
An incense stick’s toss away from the Lama Temple, China’s second-largest Confucian temple is a haven of scholarly calm and contemplation. Come to wander…
3. Duan Qirui Former Government Building
0.8 MILES
This imposing slab of Republic-era architecture, complete with brick clock tower, is the former headquarters and residence of Duan Qirui, a warlord who…
0.82 MILES
A thrilling discovery, this exquisite collection of treasures is hidden halfway up an office building! China's state-owned Poly Group has funnelled a…
0.84 MILES
Beijing is surrounded by four heavenly altars, or tán, and Ditan (Altar of the Earth), situated in the north within grounds that are today a public park,…
0.88 MILES
Several teetering old storehouses here once held grain and rice for the imperial family. Today they've been integrated into a fairly lacklustre enclave of…
1.05 MILES
This branch of the famous Sheng Xi Fu Hat Store has a quirky, free-to-visit hat museum out the back, revealing the history of the company and of hats in…
1.11 MILES
This largely renovated residence was the home of Mao Dun, the pen name of Shen Yanbing (1896–1981), a well-known author. He lived at the back courtyard…