The Shijia Hutong Museum is located in Dongcheng District, Beijing, and is a museum dedicated to the Hutongs of Beijing. This exquisite courtyard, spanning over a thousand square meters, consists of two separate courtyards. Under the shade of towering old persimmon trees, the grey brick buildings stand grounded, with two bird cages hanging on the small corridors, transporting visitors as if into a television drama set in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China period.
The museum houses eight exhibition halls and a multifunctional hall. The eight exhibition halls include the Shijia History Hall, the People’s Art Hall, the Modern Education Hall, the Orchid and Magnolia Hall, the Hutong Celebrities Hall, the Era Memory Hall, the Hutong Sounds Hall, and the Nostalgic Life Hall. These halls showcase the historical culture and evolution of Shijia Hutong in various forms. This courtyard was originally the dowry of Ling Shuhua, a talented woman from the Republic of China era, and has been a gathering place for many literati and scholars. The exhibition hall directly opposite the main entrance is paved with old bricks from the 1930s. The museum displays many items with old Beijing characteristics, including copies of marriage contracts from the 1920s and 1930s, old household baskets, and public transport tickets, some of which were donated by local residents. There are two rooms in the museum specifically decorated to reflect the style of Beijing families from the 1950s and 1980s, showcasing the old Beijing ambiance. The Hutong Sounds Hall is particularly distinctive; by selecting the corresponding Hutong on the multifunctional screen, visitors can hear various sounds, such as street vendors’ cries and bicycle horn noises, all familiar to the memories of old Beijingers. This museum, hidden within the Hutongs, can be considered a museum with a strong old Beijing charm. Open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday, 09:30-16:30; closed all day on Mondays; and open on New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day, 09:30-16:30.Shijia Hutong Museum
The Shijia Hutong Museum is located in Dongcheng District, Beijing, and is a museum dedicated to the Hutongs of Beijing. […]
