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The Central Academy of Fine Arts is the only higher art school directly under the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. The predecessor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts was the National Peking Art College, which can be traced back to the National Beijing Art School founded in 1918 by educator Cai Yuanpei. In November 1949, the National Peking Art College merged with the Third Department of Fine Arts of North China University. The predecessor of the Third Department of Fine Arts of North China University was the Fine Arts Department of Yan'an Lu Xun Academy of Arts founded in 1938. With the approval of the Central People's Government, the National Academy of Fine Arts was established, and Chairman Mao Zedong wrote the name of the academy. In January 1950, with the approval of the State Council of the Central People's Government, it was officially named the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Attraction Location: "No. 8 Huayuan North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China (北京市朝阳区花园北路8号)"
History: Founded in 1950, the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) is the top art academy in China, specializing in fine arts, design, architecture, and related disciplines. It has a rich legacy of nurturing influential Chinese artists and designers.
Architecture: The campus combines traditional Chinese architectural elements with modern art school design. Its buildings include studios, galleries, exhibition halls, and the iconic Main Building designed with a harmonious blend of contemporary and classical Chinese styles.
Cultural Value: CAFA is considered the cradle of Chinese contemporary art and is highly influential in Chinese cultural development. Its exhibitions and student works often showcase both traditional and avant-garde art, contributing to Beijing’s cultural landscape.
Other Information: The campus hosts annual art exhibitions, public lectures, and events open to visitors. The CAFA Art Museum is a must-see for contemporary art enthusiasts.
Opening Hours: "09:00 – 17:00 daily (Exhibition halls may vary)"
Contact Number: "+86 10 6429 8228"
Ticket Price: "CAFA Art Museum: 30 CNY
Special exhibitions may charge separately: 50–100 CNY"
Best Photo Spots: Main campus entrance, sculpture garden, CAFA Art Museum interior, student studio areas (with permission)
Time Reference: 2–3 hours for museum and exhibitions; 1–2 hours for campus walk
Other Information: Photography may be restricted in some exhibitions. Check schedules for temporary exhibitions. Guided tours may be available in Chinese and limited English.
Luxury: Park Hyatt Beijing (北京柏悦酒店) – 15 min drive
Grand Millennium Beijing (北京千禧大酒店) – 12 min drive
Mid-range: Soluxe Hotel Beijing (北京索洛酒店) – 10 min drive
Somerset Grand Fortune Garden Beijing (北京盛捷金色年华服务公寓) – 12 min drive
Budget & Boutique: 365 Inn Beijing (北京365旅馆) – 15 min drive
Beijing Downtown Travelotel (北京东城旅舍) – 18 min drive
Must-Try Dishes: Peking Duck (北京烤鸭)
Traditional Chinese Dim Sum (点心)
Artisan Coffee & Desserts in campus cafes
Famous Spots: CAFA Campus Cafeteria (校园餐厅) – local snacks and student favorites
TRB Hutong (TRB 胡同餐厅) – 15 min drive, fine dining
Quanjude Roast Duck (全聚德烤鸭店) – 10 min drive
1-Day Route: D1: Central Academy of Fine Arts → CAFA Art Museum → 798 Art Zone (798艺术区) → Lunch at campus cafe → Return
Transportation: Walk between campus and museum; taxi to 798 Art Zone
2-Day Route: D1: CAFA campus & exhibitions → 798 Art Zone → Dinner at Quanjude Roast Duck (全聚德烤鸭店)
D2: National Art Museum of China → Chaoyang Park → Shopping & Coffee
Transportation: Taxi or subway between distant points
3-Day Route: D1: Central Academy of Fine Arts → CAFA Art Museum → 798 Art Zone
D2: 798 Art Zone → National Art Museum of China → Coffee & casual stroll
D3: Chaoyang Park → Departure
Transportation: Taxi and subway as needed
In Nanluoguxiang, I accidentally came across the Central Academy of Fine Arts, but I only saw the entrance at night.
Here at CAFA, you can feel that you are yourself, and you can respect yourself, reflect on yourself, and be encouraged. It is a place that you will miss very much when you think back on it.
A great place for cultivating art students. A very good school.
It is worthy of being the top art school. Come on, this is our goal.
Walking on the campus, I feel that campus is so great. It is the place where dreams begin. There are so many infinite possibilities that will happen to these students.
It's really smaller than I imagined, and not as artistic as I imagined. Hahaha. I went to the school museum to see the Xu Beihong exhibition for the 100th anniversary of the school. It was a bit orthodox and a bit boring. ớ ₃ờ
CAFA is the first of the eight major art academies in China and can be regarded as a world-class art academy.
There are many artworks on the lawn of the college, most of which are sculptures or shapes made of iron. There is a small sign under each artwork, indicating the name of the work and the author. The first teaching building I saw was Building 5. There was a banner above the first floor welcoming new students. When I walked by, I felt a little melancholy and envious. I must be very proud to study in such an institution, with such an excellent platform and environment.
I only dared to take two photos quietly in an empty public area as a souvenir.
The first floor of the sculpture building is at least 10 meters high. It is stacked with various steel materials, tree roots, wooden tools, etc. like a workshop warehouse. A 28-year-old woman is standing on a ladder, working on a clay sculpture of an ancient soldier that is about 4 or 5 meters tall. Next to her is a middle-aged man who may be a professor. His voice is very deep.
Continuing walking forward, we saw a notice on the first floor that there was an exhibition of outstanding student works. We went in to take a look, and I couldn’t really explain what they were about, but there were brief introductions to the works, and we could see other people’s observations on light, lines, colors, portraits, and composition. Art comes from life but is higher than life, so I had to learn and comprehend it slowly.
A large number of beautiful women and handsome men, with a strong sense of art, it is worth a visit
It's nice to go and have a look. The art gallery often has good exhibitions and a strong literary atmosphere. There are many art supply stores around the school, which is good to broaden your horizons~~~
You can go there if you have nothing to do, it has a strong artistic atmosphere!
Let’s go to the CAFA graduation exhibition. After all, it is the top art academy. We must go there to feel the artistic atmosphere (〃∀〃)ゞ
I came to see the graduation exhibition of CAFA because of its reputation. I spent three hours browsing and had nothing to say. It was worth the trip. I want to complain about the traffic, "…………" Over.
A very good place hahahahahahaha
The Central Academy of Fine Arts is located in Wangjing, Chaoyang District. It is easy to find by taking bus No. 132 from Dongzhimen to Huajiadi South Street Station or bus No. 131 to Huajiadi North Street Station. The campus is not very large, but it has a strong artistic atmosphere. The most famous thing here is the exhibition management of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, which contains many authentic works of masters. The exhibition hall is semi-circular and has a futuristic design. In the exhibition hall on the fourth floor, there is a painting called "Sketch of a Male Body from the Front and Side". The painting is not big and not conspicuous. According to the advice of an expert, this painting is the treasure of the museum. It was created by Master Xu Beihong and it is an authentic work! This place is generally not open to the public. In order to see the real appearance of this painting, I was chased by the security guards all over the building! My hands were shaking with excitement when I took the photo!
The Palace of Art is located in Wangjing District and can be reached by bus. We went to see an exhibition, I remember it was called Paper Art, the ticket was 10 yuan. The exhibition was full of art, with a sense of design and visual impact. After watching the exhibition, I walked around the college, and every corner of the college was filled with artistic cells. The most eye-catching thing was a wooden boat, which seemed uncarved and placed there casually, but it was very impressive~~~
After the walk, we had dinner across the street from the college. There were a row of restaurants there, and they all looked clean. I guess students from the college would frequent them.
Located in Wangjing, you can get off at Taiyanggong and take bus 130 directly to
It's worth a visit if you have a love for art academies
Here you can always get inspiration for creation
I went to CAFA with my friends today. The atmosphere was really good. We watched the exhibition quietly. It was free. This exhibition was about the homework of undergraduate graduates and ended on June 25. There were some postcards for sale next to each painting. It was cool to pay for it yourself. Interested friends can go there~ It is very big inside with several floors, suitable for hiding inside to watch the exhibition in sunny weather