Written By: Michelle Sosa
Edited By: Genevieve Hammang and Adina Vega
An image of the museum’s exterior.
The city of Beijing contains countless historical landmarks and cultural sites; it is most renowned for being the home to the Great Wall and the culturally rich Hutong district. However, have you ever heard of the Beijing Tap Water Museum? This museum, also known as 北京自来水博物馆, was established in 2000, and it is famous for being built in the location of the first water plant established in Beijing. The museum is located just outside the northwest second ring road of the Dongzhimen district in Beijing. In total, the museum contains 130 real artifacts along with images and models that are used to exhibit the 90-year-old history of the tap water in Beijing.
An image of the museum’s interior space.
Before 1908, the water in the city was retrieved from wells and then transported to other parts of the city through the use of carts and buckets. During the late Qing dynasty, a new system was implemented where water was transported from the reservoirs in the city. The water’s first stop was the Imperial Palace (which is currently known as the Forbidden City), and afterwards, it would travel to the rest of the masses. As time went on and technology advanced, the system has drastically improved and expanded. Although the tap water in China is currently not safe to drink, it is still much cleaner and accessible than it was in the past.
The museum offers two floors of visitor access to the information in addition to providing QR codes for the audio tour, which is accessible via WeChat. Although the audio tour is in Mandarin, the museum offers extensive English text for tourists. Throughout the tour, the visitor will come to learn how the processes in place for bringing water to Beijing as well as the treatment that it goes through. The first floor offers information on the science behind the water system, while the 2nd floor offers the historical context. Outside of the building, you will find antique pieces of equipment used for pumping mechanisms.
One of the pieces of equipment on display outside the building.
For more information, you can visit the museum’s section on the Visit Beijing website.
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