Beijing National Stadium, Beijing: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Beijing National Stadium—commonly called the Bird's Nest—was the centerpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and track-and-field events. The interlocking steel lattice structure, designed by Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with the artist Ai Weiwei, uses 42,000 tons of steel and seats 80,000. The stadium sits in the Olympic Green complex along the city's central north-south axis, between the National Aquatics Center and the Olympic Forest Park. It reopened for the 2022 Winter Olympics ceremonies, making it the only venue to have hosted both Summer and Winter Games openings. is just one of many options in Beijing. Major attractions worth considering include 798 Art District, Back Lakes (Hou Hai), and Capital Museum.