China Aviation Museum

China Aviation Museum
中国航空博物馆

Address: Xiaotangshan town, Changping district, Beijing
Hours: 9:00-16:00
Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
Email: hangbo1986@sina.com
General admission: 20 yuan (The Cave Halls), 20 yuan (the Masterpiece Gallery)

Located at the foot of Datang Mountain in Changping District of Beijing, the China Aviation Museum was China's first large-scale aviation museum and today is one of the top five such museums in the world. It displays aviation archives, disseminates knowledge of science and technology, inspires a national spirit, strengthens exchanges between China and other countries, and boosts scientific and technological development.

Preparation for its construction began in October 1986 and it officially opened to the public on November 11, 1989. Currently, it boasts a collection of over 299 aircraft in 199 models, as well as 2,468 ground-to-air missiles, radars, aerial bombs, aerial cameras, flying suits, parachutes, and aircraft tires. It also houses some 10,000 aviation relics, over 20,000 professional books and documents in Chinese and foreign languages, and 1,021 gifts of friendship from other countries.

The museum is made up of Cave Halls, a Masterpiece Gallery, and an open air exhibition space. Ancient aviation inventions and modern aircraft made in China and other countries are on display, including the MIG-15 used by Air Force Commander Wang Hai in the Korean War. The Soviet-made Bo-2, La-9, La-11 and Tu-2, and the US-made P-51 and L-5, are hallmarks of world aviation.