China Science and Technology Museum is the only comprehensive museum of science and technology at national level in China. It is a large scale science popularization facility for the implementation of the national strategy of invigorating the country through science and education and strengthening the comprehensive national power of the country by relying on talented people, as well as for the enhancement of the scientific literacy of the general public. The first-stage project was completed and opened to public on September 22, 1988; the second-stage project was completed and opened to public on April 29, 2000. The new museum was completed and opened to public on September 16, 2009.
China Science and Technology Museum’s predominant educational form is exhibition education. Through scientific, informative and interesting exhibition contents designed to invite visitors’ participation and interaction, the museum presents scientific principles and technological applications, and encourages visitors to explore and practice with their own hands in its efforts to popularize scientific knowledge, scientific thinking, scientific methodology, and scientific spirit.
Besides the exhibition education, the Museum also organizes various science popularization activities, training programs and experiments with a view to deepening the understanding and comprehension of science and technology and improving the scientific literacy subliminally during a visitor’s participation.
Initially built on May 9th, 2006, the new venue of China Science and Technology Museum is located at No. 5, Beichen East Road, Chaoyang District, east to the residential area of the Asian Games, west to the Olympic waters, south to the Olympic Stadium, and north to the Forest Park. The Museum occupies an area of 48,000 m2 and has a floor space of 102,000 m2, making it an important part in Olympic Green to show Beijing Olympic motto “Green Olympics, Scientific Olympics and Humanity Olympics”.
China Science and Technology Museum has five major thematic exhibitions, namely Science Paradise, The Glory of China, Science & Technology and Life, Explorations and Discoveries, and Challenges and the Future, the public displaying area, as well as 4 special-effect theatres, namely the Dome Theatre, Giant Screen Theatre, 4D Theatre and Motion Theatre. Besides, the Museum also has a science popularization lecture hall, a multi-function hall, and a number of laboratories and classrooms.
Composed of a slew of building block-like concrete blocks that articulate with each other, the structure of China Science and Technology Museum is featured like a Lu Ban lock, or a magic cube, symbolizing that science is an endless process of “unlocking” and “discovering secrets”.
