The Olympic venues will open to tourists during the week-long National Day holiday between September 29 and October 5, an official told a news briefing on Monday.

Venues, including the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, the "Water Cube" National Aquatics Center and the National Gymnasium, would be open to the public as they appeared during the Games, said Zhang Huiguang, the Beijing Tourism Bureau head.

Those venues will be open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Ticket prices range from 20 yuan (US$2.93) to 50 yuan. A pass for all venues costs 100 yuan, he said.

The optimum tourist capacity in the Olympic venues is 77,500 and the maximum capacity is 250,000, he said.

A "Magic Water Cube" symphony concert will debut on September 29 in that venue and cultural exhibitions will be displayed in the area.

Beijing is seeking ways to make better use of the 12 new venues built for the Olympics, with plans to host major international sporting and cultural events.

The Bird's Nest has become home to the Beijing Guo'an Football Club and the Water Cube would probably become the largest aquatic recreation center in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2008)