Top 10 modern architecture marvels in Beijing (7)

NO.4 National Center for Performing Arts

Situated in the heart of the capital, next to Tian'anmen Square, the National Center for Performing Arts is Beijing's foremost cultural center. Designed by architect Paul Andreu, the theater has been one of the most talked-about architectural projects for years, because of Andreu's audacious and innovative design and the project's grand scope. The curved building features a titanium shell and emerges like an island at the center of a lake. The theater houses three performance auditoria - a 2,416-seat opera house, a 2,017-seat concert hall and a 1,040-seat theater - as well as art and exhibition spaces.

Travel tips:

Open Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (closed on Monday)

Admission: 30 yuan for adults; 15 yuan for children

Tel: +86-010-6655 0989; +86-010-6655 0000 (ticket reservation)

Web: http://www.chncpa.org/n457779/index.html

Getting there: Bus 1, 4, 10, 20, 37, 52, 726, 728 and 802 to Tian'anmen West; or take subway Line 1 to Tian'anmen West Station, Exit C.