How to Visit Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is located at the south of Tian’anmen Square between the Monument to the People’s Heroes in the center of Tiananmen Square and Zhengyangmen Gate on the southern edge of Tiananmen Square. The mausoleum is the final resting place of Chairman Mao where his body was embalmed and put on display after his death.

The first floor is open to the public.  The first floor consists of the Northern Grand Hall, the Hall of Mourning and the Southern Grand Hall.  The Northern Hall has a large marble status of Chairman Mao with a backdrop of an immense tapestry of China’s mountains and rivers; you split into two lines that go left and right to enter the Hall of Mourning.

In the Hall of Mourning, the heart of the mausoleum, lies Mao (1893-1976) in his usual gray suit, draped with the red flag of the Communist Party, in a huge glass chamber,  surrounded by PLA ceremonial soldiers. Exit from the Southern Grand Hall where people buy some souvenirs.

Tips

Usually you have to queue up for visiting the mausoleum especially on Chinese public holidays. Below are some important tips before you decide to visit Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.

Brief Introduction

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall was first built in November 1976 and opened to the public on September 9, 1977. The main building is a colonnaded cube, and the north and south facades are inlaid with white marble steles inscribed with six golden characters of “Chairman Mao Memorial Hall.

There are two floors inside the hall

The first floor of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

You first enter the northern hall from its northern entrnace on the first floor and exit from its southern hall on the first floor.

The Northern Hall is the place for the entrance and the memorial ceremony.

In the middle of the hall sits a white marble statue of Mao Zedong, presenting a kind and lifelike image of the leader. In the background is a magnificent giant velvet embroidery mural “the land of the motherland”, to show the great motherland magnificent rivers and mountains.

So in the middle of the hall, the mourning hall , also the heart of the mausoleum, lies Mao Zedong, (1893-1976) in his usual gray suit, draped with the red flag of the Communist Party, in a huge glass chamber, surrounded by PLA ceremonial soldiers. You split into two lines that go left and right to enter the Hall of Mourning.

Exit from the Southern Grand Hall where people buy some souvenirs.

The second floor of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

You also can visit on the second floor which accommodate six memorial rooms. The six memorial rooms display the great revolutionary course of the six outstanding leaders – Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun.

In the center of the six memorial rooms, white marble statues of the six leaders are placed. Through a large number of detailed photos, documents and real objects, the six rooms show the historical picture scroll of the Chinese revolution.

Opening Hours & Admission fee

Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Admission is free. 1

Opening Hours: 08:00 am – 12 noon ( Tue-Sun ). The opening will be adjusted if any National statutory holidays, relevant anniversaries, activities to held in the square. Inquiry Telephone Number: 010-65120909

As this may change in July and August, it is best to check ahead for specific hours. You need to show your passport for entry (although sometimes your passport is not checked).

Deposit Room

You have to deposit any bags and cameras in a storage place next to the National Museum of China (to the east of the square). Storage charge for cameras：3 yuan; Storage charge for bags: 2 yuan – 10 yuan.

Kind reminder: be vigilant on fake helpers and officials around Mao’s Tomb who are trying to rip you off by charging you exorbitantly for storing your bags or cameras. It is advised to bring nothing to avoid queues to deposit your bags.

Standing in a long queue

You will expect many tourists, but the line move quickly and don’t despair. Kindly remind you to join the line around 10:00 am or go just before closing time when the line is getting much thinner.

A long but fast queue offers a good occasion to mix with local Chinese people from all over the country and this is very interesting.

Things you can keep while entering the hall

You can keep your mobile, wallet, passport and keys.  Though cell phones are allowed, but they need to be in your pockets. Everyone remove their hats prior to entering the hall.

Note: you cannot bring any bags, cameras, video cameras, tablets, glasses, drinks. Those carryingthe above items should go to the deposit room, which is on the east side of the square.

Some useful information

1) Summer thin vests and flip flop sandals  are not allowed.

2) Remember to be respectful when visiting, not to run, shout (or even talk).

3) Photographs are forbidden.

4) The young soldiers guarding the area. Do not take a picture of them without asking permission.

5) Kindly suggest that before you visit the mausoleum, you read up Edgar Snow “Red Star Over China” to know more about the life struggle of this great man in China.

6) You can buy a 3 RMB chrysanthemum flower to place at the foot of his statue.

7) Basically it takes less than one hour at the site ( visiting + lining up ).

Further Reading relative to Tiananmen Square

The timetable for flag raisin and lowering
Night View of Tiananmen Square
Sunset View from Tiananmen Square
The Central Axis of Beijing
How to Watch Sunrise over Tiananmen Square
Tips for Visiting Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Night View of National Centre for the Performing Arts (China)
Qianmen Street
Tips for Visiting National Museum Of China
How to visit Forbidden City

Tip:  Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Beijing:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Tour
Great Wall Tour
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings

Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Night Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street

Any questions, just drop a line.