798 Art Zone, Arts district in Dashanzi, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.

The 798 Art Zone is an arts neighborhood built inside a former manufacturing complex with over 200 galleries and exhibition spaces. The buildings date from the 1950s and feature high ceilings, large windows, and open floor plans that work well for displaying contemporary art.

The site was built in the 1950s as Factory 718, a Chinese-Soviet partnership for manufacturing military electronics. When production ended, artists gradually moved into the buildings and transformed them into galleries and working studios.

The name comes from Factory 798, one of the units of the former Joint Factory 718, which produced electronic components. Since 2002, low rents drew artists and galleries into the disused workshops. Today the district hosts embassies' cultural centers, including those of Germany, Iran, and Serbia, and the annual Beijing Queer Film Festival and Beijing Design Week.

The area is open on weekdays and weekends with free access to walk between galleries and studios. Wear comfortable shoes since the space is large and you will spend time walking to explore different corners and discover what interests you.

The buildings were designed by East German architects using a Bauhaus-influenced style, which gives them a distinctive European look. This blend of Soviet-era design with contemporary art use is unusual and makes the district visually striking.