China Science and Technology Museum(CSTM) is the only comprehensive museum of science and technology at national level in China. The development of CSTM has undergone three stages and in two different locations. With its foundation stone being laid on November 21st 1984, the first phase construction of the museum kicked off in its old location (No. 1 Bei San Huan Zhong Lu, Xicheng District, Beijing 100029) and was completed for official opening on September 22nd 1988. The second phase construction of the museum started in the same location on February 24, 1998 and was inaugurated on April 29, 2000. The corner stone for the construction of the new CSTM in its current location (No. 5 Beichen East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100012) was laid on May 9, 2006, and the new CSTM was officially opened to the public on September 16, 2009.

Located within the central area of the Olympic Green, the new CSTM is adjacent to the Asian Games residential area to the east, the Olympic water system to the west, the Beijing National Stadium (the “Bird’s Nest”) to the south, and the Forest Park to the north. With very distinctive architectural design, the main building of the museum is a single large square structure formed by a myriad of interlocking jigsaw blocks, making it appear like a huge “Lu Ban’s Lock”. Meanwhile, the main building also resembles a gigantic Rubik’s Cube with the connotations of “unlocking” and “discovery”. The science communication purpose of the new CSTM is served mainly through the mostly hands-on and interactive permanent exhibitions organized and housed in line under five themes, namely, Science Paradise, The Glory of China, Exploration & Discovery, Sci-tech & Life, Challenges & the Future, as well as through the displays in the public spaces. Rivaling the permanent exhibitions in science communication are the four special-effect theaters of the new museum, i.e. the Dome Theater (for presenting both Omnimax films and planetarium shows), the Giant Screen Theater, the Motion Simulator Theater and the 4D Theater, which combine to give audience cinematic and enhanced science experience like no others. In addition, the new CSTM also features multiple laboratories, classrooms, an auditorium for popular science lectures, a multi-purpose hall and an exhibition gallery exclusively reserved for traveling exhibitions.

With science education as its key function, China Science and Technology Museum presents scientific principles and technological applications by means of exhibitions/exhibits that combine science and knowledge with interestingness, as well as participatory and experience-based education programs; it encourages the public to explore science through hands-on practice. As a result, it not only popularizes knowledge of science but also underscores the dissemination of scientific thinking, methods and ethos. While conducting exhibition-based educational activities, CSTM also organizes various popular science practices and training experiments, so that the audience can deepen their understanding and comprehension of science through personal participation, and improve their scientific literacy in an imperceptible manner.As the only national museum of science and technology in China, CSTM also plays an exemplary and leading role for science and technology museums throughout the country. With the establishment and development of such premium popular science service projects as "China Mobile Science and Technology Museum", "Science Wagon", "China Digital Science and Technology Museum" and "Rural Middle School Science and Technology Museum", a solid foundation has been laid for the modern science and technology museum system with Chinese characteristics.