Beijing: Tiananmen Square Entry & Advance Reservation

The Heart of Beijing Demands a Plan—Here's How to Get In

You get advance-reserved entry to the world's largest city-center square, where the Monument to the People's Heroes, Mao Memorial Hall, and four major museums surround you in one plaza. The square is fully wheelchair accessible with level surfaces throughout. Book your date in advance—same-day entry isn't available—and you're set to spend as long as you want in the heart of Beijing.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Tiananmen Square in Beijing

• Reserve Tiananmen Square visit in advance
• Arrive at Tiananmen Square
• Explore Monument to the People's Heroes
• Visit Mao Zedong Memorial Hall
• See Great Hall of the People
• Visit Museum of Chinese Revolution and History
• View Zhengyangmen and Qianmen Arrow Tower

The Experience

You're standing in front of a map of Beijing, and something pulls you toward Tiananmen Square. Maybe it's the history, maybe it's the sheer scale—440,000 square meters, a million people could fit here—or maybe you just want to see the place where everything matters in this city converges. The thing is, you can't just show up. Tiananmen Square requires advance reservation, and that's actually what makes it possible to go at all. Without booking ahead, the gates stay closed to you.

The square sits on Chang'an Avenue in Dongcheng District, and once you're in, you're standing at the center of something genuinely monumental. The Monument to the People's Heroes rises in the middle, and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall anchors the space with a weight that's hard to describe until you're there. To the west is the Great Hall of the People; to the east, the Museum of Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History face each other across the plaza. Two ancient towers from the 14th century—Zhengyangmen and Qianmen Arrow Tower—frame the southern edge. It's symmetrical, integrated, majestic in a way that photographs flatten. The entire square is designed to make you feel small and part of something larger at the same time.

Your admission includes entry to Tiananmen Square itself. The space is wheelchair accessible, surfaces are level throughout, and public transportation options run nearby if you need them. Families with strollers move through easily. Once you book your reservation, you're locked in for a specific date—there's no same-day entry, so plan ahead. The square fills with visitors, but the scale of the place means it never feels cramped, even when it's busy. You move at your own pace, stop where something catches your eye, and the symmetry of the design keeps pulling your gaze forward.

What’s included

• Admission to Tiananmen Square.
• access to the Monument to the People's Heroes and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.
• views of the Great Hall of the People, Museum of Chinese Revolution, Museum of Chinese History, and historic city towers.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by NextStop Travel

Is this one for you?Right for anyone visiting Beijing who wants to see the city's political and cultural heart without the uncertainty of same-day entry—the advance reservation is what guarantees you get in.

Top questions

Do I need to book Tiananmen Square in advance?

Yes. Tiananmen Square requires advance reservation and cannot be booked on the same day. You must reserve your visit ahead of time.

What's included in the admission?

Entry to Tiananmen Square itself. The square is 440,000 square meters and includes the Monument to the People's Heroes, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, and access to view the surrounding museums and historic towers.

Is Tiananmen Square wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible. Strollers and prams are welcome.

Where is Tiananmen Square located?

Tiananmen Square is located on Chang'an Avenue in Dongcheng District, Beijing. It's the largest city-center square in the world and the political and cultural center of China.

How large is Tiananmen Square?

It covers 44 hectares (440,000 square meters) and can accommodate one million people for gatherings.

What can I see at Tiananmen Square?

The Monument to the People's Heroes, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese Revolution, the Museum of Chinese History, and two 14th-century towers: Zhengyangmen and Qianmen Arrow Tower.