Elegance, truly elegance (with a guide to the Shanxi Museum)

First time in Taiyuan, you must visit the Shanxi Museum! Free admission + a huge collection (from the Neolithic Age to the Ming and Qing Jin merchants period), including Buddhist statues, ancient murals, bronzes, ceramics, and stone carvings (though visiting museums can be really tiring haha) Here’s a detailed guide for you to copy!! 📍Address: No. 13 Binhe West Road, Wanbailin District, Taiyuan 🕐Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:00 PM, closed on Mondays except public holidays) 🎫Tickets: Free🆓! But you must book in advance (booking opens 3 days ahead, tickets released daily at 7:00 AM, remember to set your alarm to grab tickets) ✅Follow the “Shanxi Museum” WeChat official account → Visit Services → Shanxi Museum Booking → Fill in information to reserve ✅Each booking can reserve for 2–3 people, each person must register with real name, each ID card can book once per day ✅Enter the museum by scanning the booking QR code (free bag check/storage service inside🆓) 🚇Transport: Take Metro Line 1 to Yingzeqiao West Station Exit B, then 10-minute walk 🅿️Parking: Dedicated parking lot at the north gate of the museum, self-driving parking 1 RMB/half hour 🏠Exhibition halls layout: 1st Floor | Temporary Exhibition Hall, Gift Shop 2nd Floor | Cradle of Civilization, Traces of Xia and Shang, Jin Kingdom’s Hegemony 3rd Floor | Buddhist Legacy, Ethnic Melting Pot, World of Jin Merchants, Hometown of Drama 4th Floor | Calligraphy and Painting, Porcelain Art, The World in Square and Circle, Jade Treasures of China, Splendid Architecture 📷Visiting tips: ✅Recommended visit duration: 3-4 hours, electronic audio guides available for rent on 1st floor, rental fee 30 RMB ✅Free guided tours four times daily: 9:30, 10:30, 14:30, 15:30🆓 ✅Suggested route: 2F → 4F → 3F → 1F (Temporary Exhibition Hall) to cover from the Paleolithic to Ming and Qing in one go! ✅Stamp collectors must go! 12 stamps available at the 1st floor service desk + 4th floor cultural shop 🛏Accommodation suggestion: I stayed at Wuyue Plaza, a 15-minute walk from the Shanxi Museum, great value! On weekdays, just over 200 RMB for a panoramic floor-to-ceiling window room with a high-altitude view overlooking Taiyuan city (P15)