In celebration of International Museum Day (May 18), the 2026 Beijing Museum Season officially kicked off on May 17. Following the successful "Theme Month" format, the season brings together museums and districts across Beijing to present four major sections: May Cultural and Creative Month, June Exhibition Month, July Research and Study Month, and August Technology Month.

As the opening highlight, the Capital Museum presents "Maize, Gold, Jaguar: Ancient Maya and Andean Civilizations" – the latest installment in its "World Civilizations: Exchange and Mutual Learning" series. Featuring some 800 treasures from over 20 cultural institutions in Mexico and Peru, this exhibition sets new records for the Capital Museum in both the number of exhibits and international partners.

During the exhibition, the Capital Museum will adopt a "three 5,000s" spatial layout: a 5,000-square-meter zone for American artifacts, a 5,000-square-meter zone for Chinese artifacts, and a 5,000-square-meter immersive experience area. This design places ancient Chinese civilization and the civilizations of the Maya and Andes side by side, offering visitors a cross-time dialogue.

The exhibition is divided into three sections:

"The Maya World" brings together a new selection of Mexican artifacts not seen in previous traveling exhibitions. 90% of these objects are being exhibited in Beijing for the first time.

"Treasures of the King" presents, for the first time, a full array of archaeological findings from the Royal Tombs of Sipán in Peru, revealing the burial customs of the Moche elite and their masterful metalworking techniques. Among these artifacts, 80% are making their China debut, and 50% have never left Peru before.

"Spirits of Nature" uses a narrative approach to explore the emotional bond between humans and animals, and all artifacts in this section are on their first visit to China.