Located at No. 581 Xibei Road, Shayibake District, Urumqi, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum is a national first-class museum, a national 4A-level tourist attraction, and a national patriotic education demonstration base. It is the only autonomous region-level comprehensive local chronicle museum in Xinjiang and a frontier window for displaying the Silk Road culture of Xinjiang. The overall plane of the museum building is in the shape of a "合" (he, meaning 'combination'), with a construction area of 49,608 square meters, designed by Wang Xiaodong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and others.
History and Culture
The history of the Xinjiang Museum can be traced back to 1953. In April of that year, the Preparatory Office of the Xinjiang Museum was established, and in September, it began to collect cultural relics, organizing personnel to inspect the Beiting Ancient City Ruins and other sites. In 1955, the first "Xinjiang Cultural Relics Exhibition" was held in the Danfeng Chaoyang Pavilion in Urumqi People's Park, which was regarded as the first museum in Xinjiang. In August 1959, the Preparatory Office of the Xinjiang Museum was abolished, and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum was officially established. Zhu De, an elder revolutionary, inscribed the name of the museum. In the summer of 1962, it moved to its current address on Xibei Road. In 2005, the new museum was completed and opened to the public. In 2016, the second-phase project was approved for project establishment, construction started in 2018, and the second phase was officially opened to the public on May 18, 2022.
Main Attractions
Passing Through a Millennium - Ancient Mummy Exhibition Hall
Located on the second floor of the museum, it is divided into two parts: "The Silent Elegy Treasured in the Yellow Sand - the Life and Death Quest of the Ancestors in the Tarim Basin" and "The Eternal Heroes Buried in the Oasis - the Historical Reappearance of the Ancestors in the Turpan-Hami Basin". It displays more than ten mummy specimens from the Pre-Qin to the Tang Dynasty unearthed in Ruoqiang County, Qiemo County, Turpan City, etc., such as the Loulan Beauty and Zhang Xiong, the Left Guard General of the Gaochang Kingdom, and more than 100 cultural relics such as costumes and painted clay figurines.
Xinjiang Historical Relics Exhibition
Displayed in three exhibition halls on the second floor of the museum, showing the Pre-Qin period; the Han, Wei, Jin, Sui, and Tang periods; and the Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, Yuan, Ming, and Qing periods. Taking the cultural origin of the Chinese nation and Xinjiang's history as the main line, it displays more than 1,800 cultural relics unearthed from sites such as the Tongtian Cave Site, Kuqa Youyi Road Cemetery, and Niya Site, including textiles, paper, leather, woodwork, pottery, jade, metalware, stone tools, porcelain, etc.
Treasures of the Vast Sea - Exhibition of Fine Ancient Costumes in Xinjiang
Located on the second floor of the museum, it is upgraded from the "Exhibition of Ancient Costumes in Xinjiang". It displays the clothing, shoes, hats, and ornaments used by the ancient people of Xinjiang from the Pre-Qin period to the Qing Dynasty, such as the pullover skirt unearthed from the Zagunluke Tomb in Qiemo County during the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty silk painting "Playing Go Beauty Figure", and the Hami King's hat in the Qing Dynasty.
"Shared Homeland" - Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation
Located on the first floor of the museum, the exhibition has four chapters: "Common Expansion of Chinese Territory", "Common Writing of Chinese History", "Common Creation of Chinese Culture", and "Common Forging of the Chinese Soul". Through more than 400 pictures, nearly 100 (frames, pieces) of artworks, video images, holographic technology, etc., it tells nearly a hundred historical figures and events, showing the theme of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and the people of the whole country jointly writing history, creating culture, and cultivating the spirit.
"Follow the Party Forever" - Exhibition of Xinjiang Revolutionary Cultural Relics to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China
Located on the second floor of the museum, the exhibition is divided into four chapters: "Breaking the Sky", "Changing the World", "Earth-Shaking", and "Shocking the World". It displays more than 100 groups of revolutionary cultural relics, pictures, documents, scene restorations, etc. in the museum's collection, which record the Communist Party of China's revolutionary work, peaceful liberation of Xinjiang, and construction of Xinjiang.
Food
Roasted Lamb Skewers
Fresh mutton is selected, cut into small pieces, skewered on iron sticks, roasted over charcoal fire, sprinkled with cumin, chili powder, and other seasonings, and roasted until the skin is golden and the inside is tender, with a rich aroma.
Hand-Pulled Rice
It is made of ingredients such as rice, mutton, carrots, and onions. First, fry the mutton, then add carrots, onions, etc. to fry until fragrant, and finally add rice and an appropriate amount of water to simmer together. The rice is grainy, the mutton is tender, the carrots are sweet, and it is nutritious.
Baked Nang
It is made of flour, yeast, salt, and other raw materials into a dough cake and baked in a nang pit. The outer skin is crispy, the inside is soft, and it has a variety of flavors, such as original flavor, sesame flavor, green onion flavor, etc. It can be preserved for a long time and is one of the favorite staples of the Xinjiang people.
Tickets
The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum is free to the public.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆" in WeChat to get the latest updates or make an appointment to enter the museum.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are 10:00 - 18:30 (admission stops at 18:00), and it is closed every Monday (except national legal holidays).
Tour Route
On the first floor, you can first visit the "Shared Homeland - Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation Exhibition" to understand the close connection between Xinjiang and the Chinese nation; then go to the second floor to visit the "Passing Through a Millennium - Ancient Mummy Exhibition Hall", "Xinjiang Historical Relics Exhibition", "Treasures of the Vast Sea - Exhibition of Fine Ancient Costumes in Xinjiang", and "Follow the Party Forever - Exhibition of Xinjiang Revolutionary Cultural Relics to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" in turn, systematically understanding Xinjiang's history and culture, folk customs, and revolutionary process.
Transportation
- Bus: You can take buses such as No. 7, 51, 52, 66, 303, 305, 906, 910, 912, etc., and get off at the Museum Station.
- Metro: You can take Metro Line 1, get off at Xibei Road Station, exit from Exit D, and walk about 500 meters to reach.
- Self-driving: The museum has a parking lot, which is convenient for self-driving tourists to park.
Must-Visit Attractions
- "Passing Through a Millennium - Ancient Mummy Exhibition Hall": You can see well-preserved ancient mummies, such as the famous Loulan Beauty, as if traveling through time and feeling the mystery of ancient civilizations.
- "Xinjiang Historical Relics Exhibition": It centrally displays the precious cultural relics in Xinjiang from the Pre-Qin period to the Qing Dynasty, taking the historical context as the main line, allowing visitors to fully understand the historical changes and cultural development of Xinjiang.
- "Treasures of the Vast Sea - Exhibition of Fine Ancient Costumes in Xinjiang": It displays exquisite costumes from various periods, showing the aesthetics and the development of textile technology of the ancient people in Xinjiang.
Tour Tips
- Understand the exhibition information and explanation services in advance on the official website or WeChat public account, and arrange the visit time reasonably.
- You can rent a guide or follow the volunteer guide team in the museum to have a deeper understanding of the stories behind the cultural relics during the visit.
- Set aside enough time to carefully appreciate the exhibits, do not rush through, and it is recommended to visit for 3 - 4 hours.
Notes
- Abide by the museum's visiting regulations, do not touch the exhibits, and do not make loud noises in the exhibition hall.
- Smoking is prohibited in the museum, and flammable, explosive, and other dangerous items are prohibited from being carried.
- Do not use a flash when taking photos to avoid damaging the cultural relics.
- You can preview relevant historical and cultural knowledge in advance before visiting to better understand the exhibits.