The breakneck development in Beijing over recent years leaves many people wondering what is next. Ancient neighborhoods have given way to tower blocks and the sea of bicycles is a distant memory, replaced by gridlocked traffic and gigantean boulevards. Preparations for the 2008 Olympics and the gleaming architectural wonders that followed have led to a population explosion of over 20 million. When a visitor first enters the sprawling metropolis it can be both overwhelming and disorientating. The Exhibition Hall is a chance to unpeel many of the layers to understand the past and what lies ahead for this ancient capital. A glistening ten-meter high bronze relief shows Beijing as it looked in 1949 with its original chess board layout, designed according to a well thought out plan. The urban landscape is one of low lying courtyards, dissected with a fine network of alleys or hutongs. The frieze also shows an original wall, completely surrounding the city with its impressive array of gates and watchtowers. However it is the 302 square-meter model of modern day Beijing which really captures the imagination. The city wall, torn down in the 1950s is replaced by the second ring road and most hutongs are but a memory, replaced by blocks of flats, government buildings and shopping malls. Tiananmen Square with its imposing communist architecture, dominates the center. High rises and world class contemporary architecture clusters around the east third ring forming an array of space-age looking structures projecting Beijing’s urban landscape in the year 2020. The model is an ideal starting point for any first time visit to Beijing, if nothing else to help the visitor get orientated in one of the most sprawling and diverse urban landscapes in China.