Summer Palace opens restoration exhibition on 16 October

The Summer Palace opened the Restoring Heritage exhibition in Beijing on 16 October 2026, bringing repaired objects into view at the Garden of Virtue and Harmony. The exhibition runs until 28 February 2027 and focuses on conservation work carried out in historic gardens across the city.

Restoring Heritage exhibition opens at the Garden of Virtue and Harmony

The exhibition is presented in the theatre hall of the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, one of the named attractions within the imperial garden. Its title refers to conservation results from 2022 to 2025, while the display follows three stages: examining damage, carrying out treatment and passing knowledge to future work.

Objects on show include furniture, metalwork, textiles, porcelain and books. The exhibition brings representative conservation objects from several historic gardens together, allowing visitors to see material that had previously remained in storage. The opening and dates are recorded in the exhibition announcement.

Why the restoration exhibition matters at the Summer Palace

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony is part of a larger landscape built around Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. The park lies in western Beijing and covers 3.009 sq. km, with water occupying three quarters of its area.

The setting connects the exhibition with the place itself. A restored chair, vessel, textile or book is shown inside an imperial garden whose buildings, gardens and collections form part of the wider history being interpreted. The Beijing government describes the Summer Palace as a Qing imperial garden and as a museum of imperial gardens in its visitor guide.

From imperial garden to public conservation display

The park was an imperial garden during the Qing dynasty, which lasted from 1644 to 1911. Its principal landscape combines Longevity Hill with Kunming Lake and includes the Palace Museum, Suzhou Street and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.

The new display therefore adds a conservation subject to a site already known for its historic buildings and landscape. Rather than presenting only finished interiors, it explains the sequence from identifying damage to treatment and later use. That structure gives the exhibition a direct link to the objects and rooms visitors encounter across Beijing's historic gardens.

Visiting Summer Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Restoring Heritage exhibition runs from 16 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 in the theatre hall of the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.
• The exhibition is open to public visitors according to the announcement, and it is located within the Summer Palace grounds rather than at a separate city museum.
• The address is 19 Xinjiangongmen Road in Haidian District, Beijing. Xiyuan and Beigongmen stations on Metro Line 4 serve the palace's eastern and northern gates, while Xijiao is the metro stop for the western gate.
• The site includes a large lake and landscaped hill, so visiting the exhibition forms part of a walk through a broad historic garden rather than a single indoor venue.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Summer Palace

When does the Restoring Heritage exhibition take place at Summer Palace?

The exhibition runs from 16 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 in the theatre hall of the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.

What is on display at the Restoring Heritage exhibition?

The display presents restored furniture, metalwork, textiles, porcelain and books, alongside an account of examination, treatment and continued conservation.

Where is Summer Palace and how do you get there?

Summer Palace is at 19 Xinjiangongmen Road in Haidian District, Beijing. Xiyuan and Beigongmen stations on Metro Line 4 serve two of its main gates.