Less known to the world that Forbidden City is more about architecture; it is the pinnacle of Ming-era royal architectural style. Its alternative name of “the Palace Museum” will disappoint visitors looking for paintings, sculptures, or ancient artifacts. For those, the National Museum, on the east side of TianAnMen square, is a better choice. Alas, it is closed for renovation.
A hidden gem and a local favorite is the Capital Museum; it has rich exhibitions of few hundreds years of Beijing and decent artistic collection. A casual stroll through all exhibitions will take about 4 hours. It is a nice break from the heat of Beijing summer or rains that disrupt the scheduled outdoor activities.
There is a special exhibition from Louvre. I found myself dumb-founded at the beauty and realism of those sculptures. If you are in Beijing before November, don't miss it.