798 Art District

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A little bit outside the general tourist loop, the 798 Art District is now one of my favorite places in Beijing. The area used to be a series of military factories, but after the factories closed down contemporary artists set-up shop in the vacant spaces.

The entire area has a really great low-key vibe that I find western and trendy. The buildings have also been modified or at least obscured by sculptures and trees, so you don't feel like you are walking into a defunct military factory complex. Artists have also placed sculptures along the road, so there is always something eye catching to look at.

As you walk down the main road, you can turn onto any of the side streets and go look through some small galeries or happen upon a peaceful courtyard.

The restaurants and cafes here were also really nice, with a good variety of western food (and coffee!) on the menus. The cafes also have tables along the street, making this an ideal location to sit and have coffee for an hour while people watching. There are definitely some interesting types walking by in this district.

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Photos

My Favorite Exhibit
These pictures were textured, and I really wanted to touch it, but that probably would have been frowned upon

Comments

[Marthe]

this looks really nice
looks like a really "fun" area