Useful News Tidbits – 2010 Holiday Dates and Beijing Museum Passes

In the fine tradition of making up holidays on an annual basis, the government has officially announced the national holidays for 2010. You can read about it (in Chinese) here. Or you can consult our handy holiday table below.

2010 Festivals and Holidays

New Year Holiday
31-Dec-09 Thursday Working Day
1-Jan-10 Friday Holidays
2-Jan-10 Saturday
3-Jan-10 Sunday
4-Jan-10 Monday Working Day

Spring Festival
12-Feb-10 Friday Working Day
13-Feb-10 Saturday Holidays
14-Feb-10 Sunday
15-Feb-10 Monday
16-Feb-10 Tuesday
17-Feb-10 Wednesday
18-Feb-10 Thursday
19-Feb-10 Friday
20-Feb-10 Saturday Working Days
21-Feb-10 Sunday

Ching Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping) Festival
2-Apr-10 Friday Working Day
3-Apr-10 Saturday Holidays
4-Apr-10 Sunday
5-Apr-10 Monday
6-Apr-10 Tuesday Working Day

Labor Day
1-May-10 Saturday Holidays
2-May-09 Sunday
3-May-09 Monday
4-May-09 Tuesday Working Days

Dragon Boat Festival
12-Jun-10 Saturday Working Days
13-Jun-10 Sunday
14-Jun-10 Monday Holidays
15-Jun-10 Tuesday
16-Jun-10 Wednesday

Mid-Autumn Festival
19-Sep-10 Sunday Working Days
20-Sep-10 Monday
21-Sep-10 Tuesday
22-Sep-10 Wednesday Holidays
23-Sep-10 Thursday
24-Sep-10 Friday
25-Sep-10 Saturday Working Days
26-Sep-10 Sunday

2010 National Holiday
30-Sep-10 Thursday Working Day
1-Oct-10 Friday Holidays
2-Oct-10 Saturday
3-Oct-10 Sunday
4-Oct-10 Monday
5-Oct-10 Tuesday
6-Oct-10 Wednesday
7-Oct-10 Thursday
8-Oct-10 Friday Working Days
9-Oct-10 Saturday

The above arrangements are subject to change in accordance with local and central government decrees in any particular period. In the case of any such changes the management will inform the staff as soon as reasonably possible.

In other local news, Beijing Daze has reported the 2010 Beijing museum pass is now available. Daze writes, “A mere RMB 80 gives you access to over 60 museums in the capital like the illustrious “tap water museum” or even the “Confucius Temple”.

Some of the key attractions covered by the pass are:

· Capital Museum
· Beijing Planetarium
· Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
· Ancient Observatory
· Confucius Temple
· Beijing Botanical Garden
· Lu Xun Museum
· Zhihua Temple

According to Beijing Daze, “you can get them from any/all post offices or call the hotline to order it” on 62213256, 62213275, 86660652, or 62223793.

For more information on many of the sites covered by the pass, consult the 2010 Insider's Guide to Beijing, released last week and available at places like the Bookworm now.