The White Pagoda Temple is in the Xicheng District of the city. The White Pagoda was built in 1271 during Yuan Dynasty Kublai Khan's reign and owed its beauty to a Nepalese architect. In 1279, the Temple Shengshouman'ansi was erected with an area of 160,000 square meters, the White Pagoda at its center. In 1457, the temple was renovated and renamed Miaoying Temple. It was refurbished many times during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. However, the temple except for the White Pagoda was destroyed by fire in 1729. After China's liberation, the government took many measures to protect this important historical site. In 1961, State Council listed it as a key national cultural heritage protection site. In 1978, the White Pagoda and its halls were renovated. During the renovation, a group of precious cultural relics which were placed in the Pagoda during Qing Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-95) was found inside the top of the pagoda. The temple was officially opened to the public in 1980. Renovation of the gate, Bell Tower and Drum Tower was done in 1966, and the structures in the eastern street were restored to their former appearance by relocating the local residents. The second stage of the restoration of the temple started in 2002 with a budget of nearly 35 million yuan, used to relocate the residents living in the western street. At present, the White Pagoda Temple houses the Traditional Tibetan Buddha Statue Exhibition, and the History and Culture of the White Pagoda Temple Exhibition.

The Traditional Tibetan Buddha Statue Exhibition: This exhibition is specially put on to celebrate the reopening of the White Pagoda Temple's gate after its renovation. This art palace of Buddhist statues, displays nearly 10,000 traditional Tibetan statues of the Buddha of different styles, dating from the Song dynasty (960-1279) to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911); these figures coming from Tibet and other inland areas.

The History and Culture of the White Pagoda Temple Exhibition: The White Pagoda Temple was originally built in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the White Pagoda was landmark architecture of Dadu (an old name for Beijing), which witnessed the development of China as a united nation of multi-nationalities and the cultural exchanges between China and Nepal. Centered on the historical evolution of the White Pagoda Temple, this exhibition displays precious cultural relics which were found inside the top of the pagoda in 1978, which enable visitors to learn more about the history and culture of the temple.