7.6
4.5/5
No. 7 of Family-friendly Attractions in ShaanxiHistoric buildings
Museums
Exhibitions
Night view
Xi'an Museum is a modern comprehensive museum built around the historic site of the Tang Dynasty's Jianfu Temple and its iconic Small Wild Goose Pagoda, integrating cultural relic preservation, academic research, exhibition display, public education, and garden leisure. Its core area occupies the original site of the royal Jianfu Temple, with the remarkably preserved Small Wild Goose Pagoda serving as both the museum's distinctive landmark and spiritual center. The temple ruins and pagoda not only form the foundation of Xi'an Museum but also serve as its key outdoor historical exhibition area and visitor highlight. The museum's main building stands north of the ancient temple ruins, creating an organic fusion of three elements (temple ruins, pagoda, and modern museum architecture) that together form a unique cultural space blending "museum, pagoda, temple, and garden." This harmonious integration vividly presents Xi'an's historical continuity from ancient times to the present. Xi'an Museum officially opened to the public on May 18, 2007. It was established to comprehensively showcase the glorious history and brilliant culture of Xi'an (ancient Chang'an) as the capital of thirteen dynasties, filling the previous gap of a comprehensive museum dedicated to Xi'an's urban history. Collection highlights: The museum houses approximately 130,000 precious cultural relics from various historical periods of Xi'an, including over 10,000 nationally classified Grade III or above artifacts. The collection spans from prehistoric times to the Ming and Qing dynasties, with particular emphasis on artifacts from the prosperous eras of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. These include bronzeware, jadeware, gold and silverware, ceramics, murals, stone steles and epitaphs, as well as Buddhist statues, systematically reflecting the political, economic, cultural, social life, and foreign exchanges of the ancient capital Chang'an. Main exhibition: The permanent exhibition "Ancient Capital Xi'an" traces the city's development through history, showcasing Xi'an's evolution and achievements as both an imperial capital (Zhou Dynasty's Fenghao, Qin Dynasty's Xianyang, Han Dynasty's Chang'an, and Sui-Tang Dynasty's Chang'an) and a regional administrative center (Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties). Using precious artifacts, models, diagrams, and multimedia displays, the exhibition presents this journey in chronological stages. Unique setting: The museum's standout feature is its environment. Visitors can not only explore modern exhibition halls but also stroll through the expansive heritage park, which includes the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the ancient architectural complex of Jianfu Temple (featuring structures like the Ming Dynasty Bell Tower with its Jin Dynasty ancient bell), the ancient stone sculpture art exhibition area, and garden views. Here, they can immerse themselves in the charm of the ancient capital's thousand-year history. The view of "Morning Bell at the Wild Goose Pagoda" is particularly renowned. World Heritage Site: As one of the key heritage sites of the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor" UNESCO World Heritage, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and its surrounding historic area of Jianfu Temple represent a significant aspect of Xi'an Museum's cultural value. Functional positioning: The museum serves not only as an important center for cultural relic collection, research, and exhibition, but also as an urban cultural park where citizens can relax and immerse themselves in history and culture. It plays a significant role in social education and cultural exchange.
Xi'an Museum Address:
No. 72 Youyi West Road, Beilin District, Xi'an
Xi'an Museum Recommended sightseeing time:
2-3 hours
Xi'an Museum Phone:
+8618066819253
Xi'an Museum Ticket Price
Free admission