Chengdu Museum is located at No. 1, Xiaohe Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. Founded on September 15, 1958, it also hangs the sign of Chengdu China Shadow Puppet Museum. It is the first national-level museum in Sichuan and the only one in Chengdu awarded by the State Council in 2006. Rated as a national first-class museum in 2020, it is also the largest comprehensive urban museum in southwestern China.
The new museum covers an area of about 17 mu, with a total construction area of about 65,000 square meters and an exhibition area of about 20,000 square meters. It has nine floors, including five above ground and four underground, and also features a 100-meter observation corridor, offering a panoramic view of Tianfu Square. As of 2023, it houses 221,967 pieces (sets) of collections, including 1,399 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics.
History and Culture
On September 15, 1958, the Chengdu Municipal People's Government established the Preparatory Committee for Chengdu Local Records Museum, with Li Jieren, a famous writer and then Deputy Mayor of Chengdu, serving as the director. The museum was located in Daci Temple, responsible for the collection, investigation, excavation, and preservation of cultural relics in Chengdu. In 1974, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture established the Chengdu Cultural Relics Management Office, located in Wenshu Monastery, resuming the cultural heritage work of the former Local Records Museum.
In 1982, Chengdu integrated relevant cultural relics management agencies to establish Chengdu Museum, selecting the site at Daci Temple on Dongfeng Road in Chengdu, which officially opened to the public on October 1, 1984. In December 2004, Chengdu Museum moved out of Daci Temple, temporarily operating in Qintai Building, carrying out database construction and collection archive sorting, and preparing for the construction of the new museum.
In July 2009, the Chengdu Urban Planning Committee approved the optimized architectural design plan for the new Chengdu Museum. In September, the foundation of the new museum was laid. In January 2010, the Chengdu Development and Reform Commission approved the project of the new Chengdu Museum, officially launching the construction. In June 2016, the new Chengdu Museum began trial operation for the public and opened on September 15 of the same year. In 2020, the basic smart museum and information construction were preliminarily completed.
Main Attractions
Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Ancient Part)
Located on the second and third floors of the exhibition hall, it is an important part of Chengdu's general history exhibition. The "Jiutian Kaichu Yichengdu: Chengdu in the Pre-Qin Period" exhibition hall on the second floor takes the development context of Shu culture in the Pre-Qin period as the main line, displaying the pre-Qin ancient Shu civilization through more than 240 pieces of fine cultural relics, such as cultural relics related to the Baodun Culture ancient city site group in the late Neolithic Age, and cultural relics from the Sanxingdui and Jinsha sites. It also introduces the life of ancient Shu people through scene restoration, sand table models, and other forms. The "Xishu Chengtianfu: Chengdu in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties" exhibition hall on the second floor shows Chengdu in this period, mostly with Han Dynasty cultural relics, introducing the prosperity of Chengdu as the political, economic, and cultural center in southwestern China at that time, as well as its status in the Three Kingdoms pattern and the Silk Road.
The "Xuanran Mingduhui: Chengdu in the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Periods" exhibition hall on the third floor has more than 600 pieces/sets of cultural relics, reflecting the prosperity of Chengdu in this period, such as the grand occasion of "Yangyi Yier" (Yangzhou first, Yizhou second) in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, as well as relevant art exhibitions and miniature scenes. The "Danlou Shengwanhui: Chengdu in the Ming and Qing Dynasties" exhibition hall on the third floor displays architectural components and models of the Ming Shu Palace, reflecting the important status and prosperity of Chengdu as the capital of Sichuan Province in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Modern Part)
Located on the fourth floor of the museum, it shows modern Chengdu through cultural relics, introducing the history of Chengdu as an important birthplace of the Railway Protection Movement, a strategic town in the rear during the Anti-Japanese War, and the main battlefield for liberating Southwest China.
Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Folk Customs Part)
Located on the fourth floor of the museum, it is divided into four units: Old Street Stories, Sichuan People's Love for Taste, Seasonal Recreational Activities, and Teahouse Little Chengdu. Through the four major sections of streets, food, outings, and teahouses, it connects life customs, production customs, and other contents, reflecting the unique humanistic temperament and spiritual outlook of Chengdu.
Shadow Dance Vientiane: Chinese Shadow Puppet Exhibition
Located on the fifth floor of the museum, it selects nearly 2,000 pieces (sets) of highly representative and unique cultural relics for exhibition, being the first systematic combing and comprehensive display of Chinese shadow puppets in China. The curatorial team of Chengdu Museum has deeply cooperated with Chinese-French exhibition teams to interpret traditional puppet show art in an international exhibition art language. The exhibition hall also has multiple independently created stories, plays, and multimedia works.
Puppet Show Universe: Chinese Puppet Exhibition
Located on the north side of the fifth-floor exhibition hall of the museum, with an area of more than 400 square meters and more than 200 pieces of physical exhibits. The exhibition traces the history of Chinese puppets, introduces the distribution and characteristics of currently circulating puppet show types such as string puppetry and rod puppetry, as well as the development of puppet performance and modeling art, and also includes introductions to related production and performance artists.
Man and Nature: Beilin Donation Exhibition
Located on the first floor of the museum, it is the first natural-themed exhibition since the establishment of Chengdu Museum, displaying more than 300 animal specimens. It shows the characteristics and behind-the-scenes stories of diverse species and ecosystems on different continents from multiple perspectives, expounding the relationship between man and nature.
Delicacies
Long Chaoshou (Dragon Wonton)
A characteristic snack in Chengdu, with very thin wonton skins, plump fillings, and delicious soup. Long Chaoshou comes in various flavors, including original soup, hot oil, seafood, etc. You can taste authentic Long Chaoshou in some snack shops around the museum, with prices generally ranging from 15 to 30 yuan per bowl.
Zhong Shui Jiao (Zhong's Dumplings)
With thin skins and tender fillings, it is served with special hot oil, garlic juice, sesame oil, and other seasonings, featuring a spicy, slightly sweet, and salty taste. A portion of Zhong Shui Jiao usually costs about 10 to 20 yuan and can be easily found in restaurants near the museum.
Dandan Noodles
The noodles are thin, soft, and chewy, with a crispy and fragrant braised sauce, salty, fresh, and slightly spicy taste, full of aroma. The noodles are also sprinkled with pickled mustard greens, peanut crumbs, etc., with rich flavors. Dandan noodles in surrounding noodle shops cost about 10 to 15 yuan per bowl.
Sugar Oil Fruits
With a bright yellow color, crispy outside and glutinous inside, sweet and delicious. Made from glutinous rice, brown sugar, and sesame seeds by frying. A string of sugar oil fruits is generally sold for 3 to 5 yuan and can be bought at street snack stalls.
Tickets
Free admission.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "成都博物馆" to get the latest updates or make online reservations.
Opening Hours
Open from Tuesday to Sunday. Winter (November 1 to April 30 of the following year): 09:00 - 20:00, stopping admission 1 hour before closing at night; Summer (May 1 to October 31): 09:00 - 21:00, stopping admission 1 hour before closing at night. Closed all day on Monday (except legal holidays), New Year's Eve, and the first day of the first lunar month.
Tour Routes
If time is sufficient, start the visit from the "Man and Nature: Beilin Donation Exhibition" on the first floor to understand diverse species and ecosystems. Then go to the second floor to visit the "Jiutian Kaichu Yichengdu: Chengdu in the Pre-Qin Period" and "Xishu Chengtianfu: Chengdu in the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties" exhibition halls in sequence, feeling the ancient Shu civilization and the early development of Chengdu. Then go to the third floor to appreciate the cultural relics in the "Xuanran Mingduhui: Chengdu in the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Periods" and "Danlou Shengwanhui: Chengdu in the Ming and Qing Dynasties" exhibition halls, experiencing the prosperity of Chengdu in different dynasties.
Then go to the fourth floor to visit the "Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Modern Part)" and "Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Folk Customs Part)" to understand the modern history and folk culture of Chengdu. Finally, go to the fifth floor to visit the "Shadow Dance Vientiane: Chinese Shadow Puppet Exhibition" and "Puppet Show Universe: Chinese Puppet Exhibition". If time is limited, focus on the "Flower-Blanketed Jincheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Ancient Part)" on the second and third floors and the folk customs exhibition hall on the fourth floor to quickly understand the essence of Chengdu's history and culture.
Transportation
- Subway: Take Chengdu Subway Line 1 or Line 2, get off at Tianfu Square Station, and walk to the museum from the corresponding exit.
- Bus: There are multiple bus routes available, such as No. 1, 4, 5, 16, 37, 55, 56, 61, etc. Get off at Tianfu Square East, West, South, or North Station and walk to the museum.
- Self-driving: Tourists driving to the museum can park in the surrounding parking lots, but parking may be tight during peak periods such as holidays, so it is recommended to plan the travel time in advance.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Stone Rhinoceros: One of the museum's treasure pieces, made before the Western Jin Dynasty, with extremely high historical value, reflecting the culture and carving techniques of that time.
- Jingxue Lacquer Figure: The earliest known meridian human medical model in China, unearthed from the Laoguan Mountain Han Tomb, reflecting the development level of meridian acupuncture in the Han Dynasty.
- 100-meter Observation Corridor: Overlook the panoramic view of Tianfu Square through the huge glass curtain wall, enjoying the urban landscape while visiting cultural relics.
- Chinese Shadow Puppet and Puppet Exhibition Hall: The largest shadow puppet museum in the world, with rich shadow puppet and puppet collections and strong interactivity, allowing in-depth understanding of shadow puppet and puppet culture.
Tour Tips
- Check the latest exhibition information and related activities on the official WeChat public account or website of Chengdu Museum in advance to better plan the tour route.
- Try to avoid peak periods on holidays and weekends to enjoy the exhibits more comfortably and reduce waiting time. If going during peak periods, it is recommended to arrive early to queue for tickets or make reservations.
- You can rent a tour guide or participate in the museum's regular free explanations to better understand the historical and cultural stories behind the cultural relics. Free explanation times are usually 10:00 and 14:00 every day, subject to the museum's daily arrangement.
- As the visit time in the museum is long, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes. At the same time, there are rest areas in the museum for timely rest.
- You can carry a notebook and pen to record interesting cultural relic information or your own visit insights.
Notes
- Observe the visiting order of the museum, do not make loud noises, and maintain a quiet visiting environment.
- It is strictly forbidden to touch cultural relics and damage exhibition facilities. Some cultural relics are sensitive to light, and using flash for photography is prohibited, subject to the in-museum signs.
- Smoking and eating are prohibited in the museum. You can eat in the designated area outside the museum.
- Tourists with children should take good care of them to prevent children from running or playing in the museum, so as not to affect other tourists and damage cultural relics.
- In case of an emergency, follow the instructions of the museum staff.
- Take good care of personal belongings, especially in crowded areas and when using lockers, to avoid loss.