Famous Museums in China

25 famous museums in China chosen by this site, mostly national first-grade museums, from all parts of the country. Listed by province; click a name to show it on the map.

Beijing

• The Palace Museum
  Housed in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City, with about 1.86 million objects, chiefly imperial collections, painting, calligraphy, ceramics and bronzes.
• National Museum of China
  On the east side of Tiananmen Square; its 'Ancient China' exhibition includes the Houmuwu ding and other key objects.
• China Science and Technology Museum
  The national science centre, focused on interactive exhibits and science education.

Shanxi

• Shanxi Museum
  Noted for bronzes of the Jin state, Northern Dynasties murals and Buddhist sculpture.

Liaoning

• Liaoning Provincial Museum
  Known for Jin–Song–Yuan painting and calligraphy, Liao dynasty objects and the history of the Northeast.

Shanghai

• Shanghai Museum
  A museum of ancient Chinese art known for bronzes, ceramics and painting; its East branch opened in 2024.

Jiangsu

• Nanjing Museum
  Founded in 1933 as the National Central Museum; holds over 400,000 objects.
• Suzhou Museum
  Its new building was designed by I. M. Pei; holds Wu-region painting, crafts and archaeological finds.

Zhejiang

• Zhejiang Provincial Museum
  Holds Hemudu and Liangzhu finds and Yue celadons; its Gushan site is on West Lake.
• Liangzhu Museum
  Presents jades and excavation results from the Liangzhu World Heritage site.

Henan

• Henan Museum
  Known for Central Plains finds from prehistory to the Song, including the Jiahu bone flute and the Lotus and Crane square hu.
• Yinxu Museum
  At the Yinxu World Heritage site, showing finds from the late Shang capital; the new building opened in 2024.

Hubei

• Hubei Provincial Museum
  Holds the Marquis Yi of Zeng chime bells, the sword of Goujian and other Chu culture objects.

Hunan

• Hunan Museum
  Known for the Mawangdui Han tomb finds: Lady Xin Zhui's body, silk manuscripts and lacquerware.

Guangdong

• Guangdong Museum
  In Zhujiang New Town; noted for Chaozhou woodcarving, Duan inkstones, export art and natural history.
• Nanyue King Museum
  Built around the Western Han tomb of the King of Nanyue, with its silk-threaded jade burial suit.

Sichuan

• Sanxingdui Museum
  Shows bronze masks with protruding eyes, bronze sacred trees and gold objects from the Sanxingdui site.
• Jinsha Site Museum
  On the ancient Shu site of Jinsha; holds the Sun and Immortal Birds gold ornament.

Yunnan

• Yunnan Provincial Museum
  Holds bronzes of the ancient Dian kingdom and Buddhist objects of Nanzhao and Dali.

Tibet

• Tibet Museum
  Presents Tibetan history, religious art and folk culture, including thangkas and palm-leaf manuscripts.

Shaanxi

• Shaanxi History Museum
  Known for Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang objects, including Tang tomb murals and the Hejiacun gold and silver hoard.
• Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
  Includes the Terracotta Army pits and the mausoleum park, part of a World Heritage site.

Gansu

• Dunhuang Academy (Mogao Caves)
  Manages the Mogao Caves World Heritage site, with murals and sculpture from the 4th to 14th centuries.
• Gansu Provincial Museum
  Holds the bronze Galloping Horse, painted pottery and Silk Road objects.

Xinjiang

• Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum
  Known for desert-preserved mummies from Loulan and other sites and Silk Road objects.