Guangdong Museum
广东省博物馆 Guangdong Museum · Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
In the "treasure box" building in Zhujiang New Town, spend an afternoon understanding Guangdong history, Chaozhou woodcarving and Duan inkstone craftsmanship.
Know before you go
- Do not run or talk loudly on the phone in the galleries
- do not touch the wood carvings, Duan inkstones or ceramics
- do not use flash or selfie sticks to photograph exhibits marked no-photography
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Guangdong Museum is the largest comprehensive museum in Guangdong Province and was named one of the first national first-class museums in 2008. The Zhujiang New Town site opened in 2010; designed by Hong Kong's Rocco Design Architects around the concept of a 'treasure container', it looks like a carved treasure box, and its suspended main structure means the exhibition halls have no columns. Permanent exhibitions include the Guangdong history and culture exhibition, the Guangdong natural resources exhibition, Duan inkstone art, Chaozhou woodcarving art and historical ceramics from the collection, making it a good place to understand Lingnan's geography, peoples, maritime trade and craft traditions together. There is also the Wenming Road site, which includes the Lu Xun Memorial Hall in Guangzhou and the Mingyuan Building of the Guangdong Examination Hall.
Local customs
- Permanent and temporary exhibitions run side by side
- popular temporary exhibitions often require separate booking or queuing at peak times. The galleries are themed by floor
- it is best to start with the Guangdong history and culture exhibition to get the overall picture, then choose the Chaozhou woodcarving, Duan inkstone or ceramics exhibitions according to your interests
- the natural resources gallery is good for children. The museum has a cloakroom, and large luggage and liquids may need to be checked before entry.
Religion & beliefs
- The collection includes religious relics such as Buddhist statues, folk deity images and ancestral hall wood carvings, which were originally objects of worship or ritual
- please view them as cultural heritage, do not imitate or make indecent gestures at the statues, and avoid photographing exhibits where photography is prohibited.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Guangzhou dim sum: tap your fingers to thank whoever pours, open the teapot lid for a refill
Do
- Order a pot of tea with a few dishes of dim sum: 'one cup, two pieces'
- Pour for others before yourself, and the young pour for elders first
- When someone pours for you, tap the table lightly with bent index and middle fingers
- For more hot water, lift or shift the teapot lid and staff will refill it
- Dim sum is priced by tiers such as small, medium and large; check prices before ordering
Don’t
- Don't pour only for yourself
- Don't hurry your companions; lingering for hours is normal
Nothing happens if you don't know these customs, but knowing them helps you fit into Guangzhou's yum cha culture. The finger tap is said to go back to the Qianlong Emperor travelling incognito, when his attendants tapped instead of kowtowing; this is only a legend.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): Yum cha
Don’t DON'T
- Do not run or talk loudly on the phone in the galleries
- do not touch the wood carvings, Duan inkstones or ceramics
- do not use flash or selfie sticks to photograph exhibits marked no-photography
- do not bring food or drinks into the galleries
- do not sit on the floor or lean on the display cases
Locals appreciate DO
- Book ahead with your real name through the official WeChat mini program
- see the Guangdong history and culture exhibition before the special exhibitions
- take a close look at the layers of gold-lacquered wood carving in the Chaozhou woodcarving gallery
- plan the museum together with the Guangzhou Library and Huacheng Square
- watch for announcements of lectures and education events at the museum
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The permanent exhibitions generally take 2–3 hours
- if you also see temporary exhibitions, allow half a day. The Zhujiang New Town site is at No. 2 Zhujiang East Road, Tianhe District, within walking distance of Guangzhou Metro's Zhujiang New Town area or Huacheng Avenue Station on the APM line, right next to the Guangzhou Library and the Guangzhou Opera House. The museum is generally open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays (except public holidays), and entry requires a real-name reservation
- opening hours, booking channels and temporary exhibitions are as announced on the Guangdong Museum's official website. After your visit you can walk along Huacheng Square to the Haixinsha area to see the Pearl River and Canton Tower, then go to the riverside in the evening, making a half-day 'museum + new town skyline' route.
Photos
Photos
Shujianyang · CC0
Zhangzhugang · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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