National Museum 中国国家博物馆

Like just about everything else in Beijing, the National Museum of China has plans to become the largest of its kind in the world. A massive expansion effort has closed the museum from 2007 to 2010 – by then, 28 new exhibition halls will bring the total area from 65,000 square meters to a mind-boggling 192,000. All this extra space means that historical and quirky treasures like Mao Zedong’s “eight-cornered hat,” Han-dynasty jade burial suits and wine vessels will get state-of-the-art displays and stor-age facilities. Fans of socialist grandeur need not fret: Originally commissioned for the 10th anniversary of the PRC, the building will keep its 1959 façade, which fronted the museum’s previous incarnation as the dual Museum of the Chinese Revolution and Museum of Chinese History. During the renovation, the collection’s 620,000 pieces will be lent out to other museums in China and around the world.