National Centre for the Performing Arts
国家大剧院
A dome-shaped theater west of Tiananmen Square, where operas, concerts and plays are staged year-round. The night view reflects on the water.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts was designed by the French architect Paul Andreu. Its ellipsoidal titanium shell sits in an artificial lake, and the entrance is through an underwater passage. The complex includes an opera house, a concert hall, a theater and a small playhouse. Performances range from original NCPA operas and symphonies to Peking opera, and tickets run from a few dozen to over a thousand yuan. Tickets can be bought on the official website or through the mini-program. When there are no performances, you can buy a visitor ticket to enter the public areas. Neat clothing is recommended. If you arrive late to a performance, you will have to wait for the intermission to enter. Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen West Station.
Opening hours
Visits about 09:00–17:00; performances usually start at 19:30
Nearby sights
- Lao She Teahouse
- Zhongshan Park (Beijing)
- Tiananmen Square
- Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
- Zhengyangmen (Qianmen)
- Liulichang Culture Street
- National Museum of China
- Imperial Ancestral Temple