Turfan Museum is located at No. 1268, Munar Road, Gaochang District, Turfan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and a national first-class museum. It is a comprehensive museum integrating functions such as cultural relics collection and display, cultural heritage protection and research, and social science education and publicity. The museum covers an area of more than 20,000 square meters, with a construction area of 17,570 square meters. It has 5 basic exhibitions, and the exhibition area is 4,278 square meters.
History and Culture
Turfan Museum was founded in 1956. The construction of the new museum began in 1986, and it was completed and officially opened to the public in December 1989. The new museum started construction in September 2006 and was completed and opened on September 26, 2009. In 2017, it was promoted to the third batch of national first-class museums, and in 2019, it won the title of "National Model Unit for Ethnic Unity and Progress". As the intersection of the four ancient cultures and the hub of the ancient Silk Road, Turfan has a long history. The museum's collections and exhibitions comprehensively show the historical changes and cultural integration of Turfan.
Main Attractions
Silk Road Pearl: Turfan General History Exhibition Hall
Located on the first floor of the museum, taking time as the context, it is divided into 7 units. A total of more than 380 sets of cultural relics are displayed, showing more than 30 kinds of cultural relics such as stone tools, pottery, and wooden wares, comprehensively demonstrating the long history of Turfan and reflecting its important position on the ancient Silk Road.
Turfan Beautiful Rhinoceros Fossil Exhibition Hall
Located on the second floor, with the treasure of the museum - Turfan beautiful rhinoceros fossil as the core, it uses a variety of display means to show the natural history of Turfan. The rhinoceros fossil is about 9 meters long and 5 meters high, and its living weight is about 30 tons. It is the only complete rhinoceros skeleton found in China, which lived in the Oligocene about 24 million years ago.
Turfan Unearthed Documents Exhibition Hall
Located on the second floor, Turfan documents cover various periods in history. The content types include dozens of kinds such as letters, contracts, and Buddhist scriptures. There are more than ten different characters such as Chinese and Sogdian, and more than twenty different languages, which are important historical materials for understanding and studying the ancient society in the Western Regions.
Archaeological Anthropology Specimens and Funeral Relics Exhibition Hall
Located on the third floor, the exhibition is divided into 7 units. Relying on archaeological anthropology specimens, it is equipped with funeral objects to show the funeral customs of various periods and ethnic groups in Turfan's history, demonstrating the pluralistic and integrated culture of Xinjiang.
Turfan Unearthed Ancient Coins Exhibition Hall
Located on the second floor, it is divided into 4 units, systematically displaying the types of currencies cast and circulated in Turfan from prehistoric times to the Republic of China period. Among them, the ancient Roman gold coins unearthed in Turfan are extremely precious, reflecting the prosperity of commerce and trade on the Silk Road and the important position of ancient Turfan in trade between the East and the West.
Food
Roasted Bun
Opposite the main entrance of the museum is Kuoximakelal Roasted Bun, 3 yuan each. The roasted bun has a crispy skin, and the filling is usually tender mutton, onion, etc., with a rich aroma, which is a local characteristic food.
Grapes
Turfan is famous for its grapes, and various grapes are sold around the museum. The grapes here have diverse varieties, such as seedless white grapes, which have thin skins, tender flesh, extremely high sweetness, and delicious taste.
Tickets
Free admission.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "吐鲁番市文博院" in WeChat to get the latest news or make an online appointment.
Opening Hours
Summer: 10:00 - 18:30, Winter: 10:30 - 18:00, closed on Mondays (open as usual on holidays).
Tour Route
Visit the Silk Road Pearl: Turfan General History Exhibition Hall on the first floor, then go to the second floor to visit the Turfan Rhinoceros Fossil Exhibition Hall, Turfan Unearthed Documents Exhibition Hall, and Turfan Unearthed Ancient Coins Exhibition Hall in sequence, and finally go to the third floor to visit the Archaeological Anthropology Specimens and Funeral Relics Exhibition Hall.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus routes 101, 202, and 208 to reach.
- Self-driving: The museum has a parking lot, convenient for self-driving.
- Taxi: You can choose to take a taxi to the museum.
Must-visit Attractions
- Turfan Beautiful Rhinoceros Fossil Exhibition Hall: The treasure of the museum, the Turfan beautiful rhinoceros fossil, is the only complete rhinoceros skeleton found in China, with extremely high scientific and ornamental values.
- Archaeological Anthropology Specimens and Funeral Relics Exhibition Hall: You can see the mummy of a shaman witch, etc., and understand the funeral customs and pluralistic culture of various ethnic groups in Turfan through the exhibition.
- Turfan Unearthed Documents Exhibition Hall: The documents are rich in types, with a variety of characters and languages, which are important materials for studying the ancient society in the Western Regions.
Tour Tips
- You can make an appointment in advance through the WeChat public account, especially in the peak season.
- You can choose to visit at 11:00 or 16:00 to catch the free explanation.
- Backpacks are not allowed in the museum. You can store your bags in the luggage storage cabinets in the courtyard.
- You can bring a camera to take photos, but please do not use the flash.
- Reserve 2 - 3 hours for the visit to fully appreciate the exhibits.
Notes
- Abide by the museum regulations and do not touch the exhibits.
- Smoking and eating are prohibited in the museum.
- Pay attention to protecting cultural relics and environmental hygiene.
- Pay attention to keeping warm in winter and preventing heatstroke in summer when visiting.