Shaanxi History Museum

Located to the northwest of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, Shaanxi History Museum in Xi’an, China represents a significant milestone as the country’s first large modern national museum. The museum encapsulates the essence of Chinese history; known as the "treasure house of the Chinese nation", this art palace displays the ancient civilization, history, and culture of Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi History Museum’s collection boasts more than 370,000 cultural relics, ranging from simple stone tools of ancient humans to various implements of social life before 1840, all over a span of more than one million years.

Facts

- In Chinese: 陕西历史博物馆

- Address: No.91 East Xiaozhai Road, Yanta District, Xian

- Opening time: (closed on Mondays)

09:00 – 17:30 (Nov 15th to the next Mar 14th; last entry at 16:00)

08:30 – 18:00 (Mar 15th to Nov 14th; last entry at 16:30)

- Best time to visit: avoid traffic on weekends and Chinese public holiday

We recommend avoiding weekends and Chinese holidays to avoid traffic. Note the difference between the closing time and the time of last entry when planning your reservation to Shaanxi History Museum.

- Ticket price: Free

Shaanxi History Museum

Importance & Development

Shaanxi, especially Xi'an, is the birthplace of Chinese civilization and is one of the most important areas for the further historic development of the Chinese nation. The thirteen most brilliant dynasties in Chinese history, including the Zhou dynasty, Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, and the Tang dynasty, all established their capitals here. Shaanxi Province contains a rich cultural heritage and profound cultural accumulation, and there is no better place to encounter this history than the Shaanxi History Museum. The Shaanxi History Museum is fittingly known as "the pearl of the ancient capital and the treasure house of the Chinese people", and is a must-see to learn about the history and culture of Shaanxi Province and the ancient Chinese civilization that lived here.

Shaanxi History Museum Architecture

The construction of the Shaanxi History Museum started in 1983 and finished on June 20th, 1991 for its grand opening to the public. The museum has a total area of 65,000 square meters: the building itself encompasses 55,600 square meters, with 8,000 square meters of relic storerooms, 11,000 square meters of exhibition halls, all housing a diverse collection of 370,000 pieces of history. The bronze wares of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, ancient terracotta warriors in all shapes and forms, the gold and silver wares of Han and Tang dynasties, the Tang tomb murals, and even more can all be found within the museum. Over a thousand years of history of this ancient capital provides the best place for you to truly experience the wonder of Chinese culture.

Shaanxi History Museum boasts a Tang style architecture and organization: the "hall in center” and the “storied buildings in corners.” Elegant and dignified throughout its magnificent scale, Shaanxi History Museum now combines traditional architecture and modern science to truly embody folk tradition, local feature, and epoch spirit. It is one of the most important museums in China, and holds the responsibility of representing the Shaanxi region to the world. Shaanxi History Museum is in its core a comprehensive history museum. Its many exhibitions, from the basic to the special exhibitions, all complement and reflect each other. Whether the exhibition showcases a physical relic or a digital display, they all work together to reveal the rich cultural connotation of historical relics to a diverse audience and proudly display the extensive and profound achievements of Chinese civilization.

shaanxi history museum

Shaanxi History Museum Collections

The basic exhibition displays the ancient history of Shaanxi. Chronologically organized, it divides this ancient history of Shaanxi into seven parts: Prehistory, Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei, and finally the southern and northern dynasties of Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing. Each period systematically documents the development process of Shaanxi, from the Lantian people of the early paleolithic period to the Opium War. In the basic exhibition of the Shaanxi History Museum, you can explore this period of more than one million years at your own pace.

Special exhibitions in Shaanxi History Museum are unique academic and professional displays, organized around a certain theme. For example, the Tang tomb murals represent one of the most unique and precious collections of this museum, with a total of nearly 600 pieces of murals from more than 20 tombs of Tang dynasty, more than 1,000 square meters in total. Among them, 18 pieces were rated as national treasures by the state, while 82 were rated as first-class products. Tang tomb murals provide a glimpse of everyday life during that point in history, including etiquette patterns, living customs, clothing, and entertainment. They also depict the architectural style of the buildings, simple and vivid characters, and the distinct landscape of lively animals and vivid plants. All these images contributed priceless information for the study of social life in the Tang dynasty, especially regarding aristocratic life and spiritual pursuit.

How to Get to Shaanxi History Museum?

You can reach Shaanxi History Museum by bus and subway.

First, take Bus 21, 105 or 259 to Cuihua Road Station.

Then take Metro Line 2 or 3 to Xiaozhai Station, and get off at Exit D. 

Walk along East Xiaozhai Road for about 800-meters, then you will reach Shaanxi history Museum.


More Attractions in Xi'an

  • Muslim Quarter
  • Xian Museum & Small Goose Pagoda
  • Mt. Huashan
  • Banpo Village Ruins
  • Bell Tower
  • Xiangguo Temple