The China Court Museum near Tian'anmen Square, which traces the country's court and legal system through the ages, opened on Wednesday, It is free for visitors.

The museum on Zhengyi Road next to the Supreme People's Court had been under construction since June 2014. It was built around an old bank identified as a national-level cultural relics protected place and occupies more than 3,000 square meters.

The museum has three exhibition halls that highlight Chinese court hearings in ancient times, during revolutionary times and today. Visitors can view items relating to laws at home and abroad, learn more about the legal system and watch films about trials.

Zhou Qiang, president of the top court, said on Wednesday that the museum aims to help residents remember the past and see the future of Chinese legal developments.

"The museum can become a place to popularize laws for youngsters and turn into a communications base for legal researchers," Zhou said. "In the meanwhile, we are collecting some foreign law stories, judicial documents and high-profile cases in the museum. So I hope it will improve legal cooperation and talks with Western countries."

Visits can be arranged by appointment.

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