On July 1, following more than six months of renovations, the Zhengyangmen Hall of the China Railway Museum was reopened to the public with a brand-new permanent exhibition titled "History of China's Railway Development" (中国铁路发展史). Located southeast of Tian'anmen Square, the exhibition hall was formerly Zhengyangmen East Station on the Peking-Mukden Railway, and this year marks the 120th anniversary of the station's establishment.

The newly upgraded permanent exhibition spans three floors (first to third) of the hall and covers a total area of 3,492 square meters. Organized chronologically into five sections, it traces the development of China's railways. The exhibition features more than 800 photographs and 508 artifacts. The renovations added 650 square meters of exhibition space and expanded the collection with more than 30 valuable artifacts.

[Photo via Beijing Dongcheng]

The exhibition features a full-scale simulator of the CR400AF Fuxing train's cockpit, allowing visitors to try their hand at "driving" a high-speed train. On the screen of the "Interactive Equipment of Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal High-Speed Railway Network" (八纵八横高速铁路网互动装置), visitors can view information about different railway lines.

Major exhibits include a railway ticket printing press, oxygen cylinders used during the construction of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway, and a model of the Qinling Tunnel on the Xi'an-Chengdu High-Speed Railway, all of which vividly illustrate the advancements in railway technologies and the history of railway construction.

[Photo via Beijing Dongcheng]

 The second floor of the hall now houses the "Science Education and Creativity Space" (铁博科普创意空间), which is used to host science education lectures, scientific experiments, and community education activities. The third floor houses a souvenir shop offering a diverse range of creative products, including train models.

The China Railway Museum is a national first-class museum and the only national-level museum dedicated to the country's railway industry. During the summer vacation, the Zhengyangmen Hall will organize a variety of public cultural events, including themed study tours, railway culture salons, science education lectures, special temporary exhibitions, and guided tours for the general public.

Admission to the Zhengyangmen Hall is free. Visitors can book a visit through the official WeChat account of the museum (中国铁道博物馆). The hall is open from 9:00 to 17:00 from Tuesdays to Sundays (last entry at 16:30).

(Source: Beijing Fabu)