National Centre for the Performing Arts (China)

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is an arts centre and opera house in Xicheng, Beijing. Colloquially called 'The Boiled Egg,' it opened in 2007 and is the largest theatre complex in Asia. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, the building is semi-spherical with a steel shell made of over 18,000 titanium plates and more than 1,200 pieces of ultra-white glass. It sits on the south side of Chang'an Street, near Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People, and is surrounded by an artificial lake. Visitors enter through an 80-meter underwater passage.

Don't miss

• The egg-shaped exterior, clad in over 18,000 titanium plates (only four of which share the same shape) and more than 1,200 ultra-white glass panels.
• The artificial lake that surrounds the building, which does not freeze in winter due to a closed circulation system using constant-temperature groundwater.
• The 80-meter underwater passage that visitors walk through to enter the performance halls.
• The Opera Hall, with 2,207 seats, a gold color scheme, and an advanced stage with push, pull, ascending, descending, and turning functions.
• The Music Hall, which houses the largest organ in China and features a digital wall and turtleback soundboard for even sound distribution.
• The Theatre Hall, with Chinese red as its primary color, 1,036 seats, and a unique extended lip stage design suited for traditional Chinese theatre.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit National Centre for the Performing Arts (China)

Cheapest way inForbidden City/ Palace Museum & Tiananmen Sq. Ticket Booking4.7★ · 162 travelers2-4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$3 per personSee dates →Most bookedForbidden City Guided Group Tour with Entry Tickets|Multi‑Departs4.9★ · 2,112 travelers2-3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$25 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleBeijing LiYuan Theatre VIP Seats Opera Show with Private Transfer Service5★ · 46 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$80 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The building is colloquially called 'The Boiled Egg' due to its semi-ellipsoidal shape.
• All entrances are below the water surface of the surrounding artificial lake; you enter via an 80-meter underwater passage.
• The NCPA is located immediately west of Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People, near the Forbidden City.

A bit of history

Construction was delayed for reevaluation after a Paris airport terminal collapse. The building extends ten stories underground, making 60% of its area subterranean, to stay below the height of the nearby Great Hall of the People. Engineers built a concrete underground wall to manage groundwater buoyancy without causing settlement in surrounding areas.