UCCA Center for Contemporary Art

Occupying a converted 1950s factory hall in Beijing's 798 Art District, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (尤伦斯当代艺术中心) is one of China's leading independent institutions for contemporary art. Belgian collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens founded it in 2007 as the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. It took its current name in 2017, when ownership passed to a group of Chinese investors.

UCCA has no permanent display. It programmes rotating exhibitions instead, ranging from major international figures to emerging Chinese artists, alongside talks, film screenings and performances. The industrial architecture, with its high ceilings and sawtooth skylights, gives large installations room to breathe. The surrounding district of former factories, now filled with galleries, studios and cafés, makes it easy to combine a visit with wider exploration.

The museum draws more than 900,000 visitors a year and suits anyone curious about where contemporary art in China is heading. UCCA also runs sister venues elsewhere in the country, including UCCA Dune on the coast at Beidaihe.