Paleozoological Museum of China in Beijing

The Paleozoological Museum of China (PMC) is a natural science museum that is exclusively devoted to systematically popularizing knowledge of paleontology, paleoecology, paleoanthropology and the theory of evolution. It is also the largest specialized museum in Asia for the topic of the evolution of vertebrate animals.

English Name: Paleozoological Museum of China in Beijing
Chinese Name: 中国古动物馆
Attraction Type: Beijing Attraction, Museum, Ancient Animals
Best Time to Visit: Whole year
Recommended Visiting Time: about 2-3 hours
Admission Fee: CNY10-20
Address in English: No.142, Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Address in Chinese:北京市西城区西直门外大街142号

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Why is the Paleozoological Museum of China in Beijing so Special?

Where is the Paleozoological Museum of China in Beijing?

The Paleozoological Museum of China is located at No.142, Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing.

How to Get There

Take Subway Line 4, get off at Dongwuyuan (Beijing Zoo) Station, take Exit D and walk west for five minutes. Then enter from the north gate of the Paleozoological Museum of China.
Take bus 27, 87, 105, 107, 111, 332, 347, 360, 362, 534, 563, 632, Yuntong 104, Yuntong 105, Yuntong 106, or Fast Transit Line 49, or Special Line 4 or 19, get off at Dongwuyuan Station, and enter from the north gate of the museum.
Take bus 102, 103, or Special Line 5, get off at Erligou Station and walk 300 yards (274 meters) north, and enter from the west gate.

Highlights

Lufengosaurus, the first dinosaur occurred in China and the designate museum treasure of PMC; Latimeria, a “living fossil” lobe-finned fish and a gift from Africa; Caudipteryx, a dinosaur with real feathers; Tsintaosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur with a spine on head, Mamenchisaurus, the world’s longest- necked and Asia’s largest dinosaur; Confuciousornis, the world’s earliest beaked bird; and the best-preserved skeleton of Stegodon which has been made into the elementary school’s textbook in China, and so on.

Paleovertebrate Hall

The first revolution in vertebrate evolution was the emergence of the spine. With the support of vertebrae, animals are stronger, more flexible and more adaptable, laying the foundation for the evolution of the next several hundred million years.
The exhibition of the Vertebrate Paleontology Museum is a collection of vertebrate fossils collected by generations of Chinese scientists who have been engaged in the study of vertebrate paleontology for more than half a century.

Ancient Fish Exhibition Hall

In the exhibition area of ancient fish fossils, visitors can see the fish fossils of various geological periods and evolution stages, including the jawless fish with armor, primitive pelagic fish, and higher fish fossils. Known as living fossil, Latimeria is also on display in this museum, which is the most complete preserved Latimeria in China. In the Paleozoic, there were two branches of life in the ocean, one adapted to the life in the water, and finally evolved into today’s fish; the other left the water and became today’s quadruped (including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).

Ancient Amphibian Exhibition Hall

About 360 million years ago, when the earth’s crust changed, the Crossopterygii took the lead to climb the land. They learned to breathe with their lungs, and their fins became strong limbs, which were renamed “amphibious”, completing a major leap of vertebrates landing from water.
The amphibian exhibition area displays the amphibian fossils discovered in China from more than 200 million years ago (Permian) to more than 10 million years ago (Miocene of Cenozoic). Because amphibians have a lot of cartilage, and they live in a humid environment. After death, their bodies decay quickly, and it is difficult to preserve them as complete fossils. Therefore, the specimens on display in this museum are all treasures of amphibian fossils.

Ancient Reptile and Bird Gallery

There are various reptile and bird fossils of different geological ages, including Nanxiong Turtle – the biggest freshwater turtle fossil found in China, Pterosaur – the master of the sky of Mesozoic, and Confuciusornis – an ancient bird as famous as the archaeopteryx.

Ancient Mammal Gallery

Throughout the exhibition of the plentiful mammal fossils, visitors can gain a better understanding of the evolutionary process, which the mammals experienced from inception, when the first fish crawled out of the water, to the species of dominant position on the earth.

Useful Travel Tips

Admission Fee: CNY 20 for adult; CNY 10 for children higher than 3.9 feet (1.2 meters); Free of charge for children under 3.9 feet.
Opening Hours: 9:00 – 16:30 (Ticketing stops at 16:00); Closed on Monday
3D Film: CNY 10