National Center for the Performing Arts

Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00

Admissions: 30 RMB /40 RMB for the Opera Festival

Designed by French architect Paul Andrew who cleverly designed this modern architecture to complement the red walls of ancient buildings. It contains three performance venues – the Opera House, the Concert Hall and the theatre. A variety of performances are frequently staged here.

The exterior of The National Centre for the Performing Arts is shaped like an egg. It is a steel oval structure of over 18,000 titanium plates and 1,000 sheets of ultra white glass, creating a visual effect of curtains being drawn apart slowly before your eyes. The steel oval structure is the largest dome in the world at present. Surrounding the building is an amazing man-made lake. Due to technologies, it will not ice over in the winter and algae won’t grow in it during the summer months.

All entrances are built under water. When you walk in, water is above your head.