Odyssey before the Olympics

Olympic marathoners, admired for their stamina, run for more than two hours. Yet the process of preparing Beijing to host the 2008 Olympics was itself a feat of outstanding endurance - a seven-year marathon that began in 2001 when the International Olympic Committee announced the city's successful bid.

An ongoing series of exhibits at the World Art Museum of the China Millennium Monument documents Beijing's epic transformation and the work of the many artists, planners, architects and others who collaborated on projects.

The Olympic-themed exhibition, One World One Dream, is composed of five parts: "Seven Years of Preparation", "China's Century-long Dreams Coming True", "Two Games, Equal Splendor", "Time-honored Chinese Sports" and "Modern Olympics, Grand Sports Event".