The National Art Museum of China, a large traditional-style building east of Wangfujing, houses the most important collection of 20th-century Chinese art in the country. The permanent collection traces Chinese art from the late Qing period through the Republican era, Socialist Realist works of the Mao period, and contemporary Chinese painting and sculpture. The Mao-era works — heroic peasants, revolutionary workers, golden wheat fields — have an interesting period quality regardless of their political context.
Temporary exhibitions bring major international and Chinese contemporary shows through the main galleries. Entry to the permanent collection is free. The building itself, with its upturned roof lines and classical proportions, is a good example of the "national style" architecture popular in the 1950s. Accessible by subway, Line 5, Dongsi station.