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Shaanxi History Museum
陕西历史博物馆 · Yanta District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
The memory vessel of the thirteen-dynasty ancient capital — the relics of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang arranged here in a single row
Know before you go
- No use of flash, tripods or selfie sticks to photograph fragile relics
- no eating, drinking or loud phone calls in the galleries
- photography of any form is strictly forbidden inside the Mural Treasures Gallery — strictly observe the on-site notices
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
The mystery of the Hejiacun hoard
The most intriguing story behind the treasures is the Hejiacun hoard: in 1970 a construction site in Hejiacun, in Xi'an's southern suburbs, dug up two large jars and a silver pot containing over a thousand Tang treasures in gold, silver, jade and coinage, including the gold-gilt silver pot with a dancing horse holding a cup in its mouth and the gold bowl with mandarin-duck and lotus-petal design. They are exquisitely made, yet no inscription says who their owner was or in what turmoil they were hastily buried — scholarship has proposed an imperial storehouse, a government tax-and-tribute store and other theories, with no settled conclusion to this day (the above is archaeological speculation, not established fact). The hoard is displayed together with its unsolved mystery in the Treasures Gallery, the most direct lesson for visitors in understanding Tang material civilization. The excavated jars are displayed in the gallery in their original state, reminding visitors together with the gold and silver that this national treasure was first a cold case, and only second a feast.
Source: Shaanxi History Museum official website; Chinese Wikipedia: 陕西历史博物馆
History
Collections and history of the Shaanxi History Museum
The Shaanxi History Museum was built and opened in 1991, China's first large modern national-level museum; its architecture adopts the Tang style of a central hall with towering pavilions at the four corners, designed by the architect Zhang Jinqui. The collection numbers about 370,000 pieces (sets), from ancient stone tools down to objects of social life before 1840, and is especially known for Shang and Zhou bronzes, pottery figures of successive dynasties, Han and Tang gold and silver ware and Tang tomb murals. The permanent exhibition "Ancient Civilization of Shaanxi" is arranged by era — prehistory, Zhou, Qin, Han, the Wei-Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui and Tang, and Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing; the Hejiacun "Tang Dynasty Relics" display and the Tang Mural Treasures Gallery are special exhibitions, systematically presenting the historical depth of the thirteen-dynasty ancient capital.
Source: Shaanxi History Museum official website; Chinese Wikipedia: 陕西历史博物馆
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Thirteen dynasties in succession made Xi'an their capital; the museum unites three threads — the civilization of the middle Yellow River, capital culture, and the starting point of the Silk Road — into one, the densest classroom for understanding Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang.
Local customs
- Xi'an citizens and schools have a tradition of museum study visits
- the museum runs volunteer guiding and educational activities on solar-term and intangible-heritage themes year-round
- in the winter and summer holidays and at National Day, parent-child study groups increase noticeably.
Religion & beliefs
- No specific religious affiliation
- the exhibits cover Buddhist images and objects relating to Nestorian Christianity and Zoroastrianism, reflecting the historical picture of multiple religions coexisting in Tang Chang'an — when visiting, treat them with artefact etiquette: no noise, no touching the display cases.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- No use of flash, tripods or selfie sticks to photograph fragile relics
- no eating, drinking or loud phone calls in the galleries
- photography of any form is strictly forbidden inside the Mural Treasures Gallery — strictly observe the on-site notices
Locals appreciate DO
- Arrive ahead of your reserved time slot, carrying the original ID document used for the booking for verification
- rent the audio guide or follow a public guided tour, seeing the general-history exhibition first and the special galleries after
- in galleries where photography is allowed, turn off the flash and shoot whole views of objects away from the crowds
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The basic exhibition is free but requires real-name reservation through official channels in advance
- peak-season quotas are tight, so be sure to book several days ahead and enter at your reserved time slot
- The Tang Mural Treasures Gallery and the Hejiacun Treasures Gallery are charged special galleries, ticketed separately from the free basic exhibition — decide your priorities before planning your route
- Regularly closed on Mondays (separate announcements for statutory holidays)
- opening hours are split into winter and summer seasons — check the official website before travelling
- In high season it generally opens 8:30–18:00 and in low season 9:00–17:30 (last entry is earlier
- holidays and extended hours follow official announcements), closed on Mondays. The basic exhibition is free by reservation
- the Treasures Gallery is on the order of CNY 30 and the Tang Mural Treasures Gallery about CNY 270, with special exhibitions extra — official information prevails in all cases. Metro Lines 2 and 3 to Xiaozhai station, then walk
- parking is tight for drivers, so public transport is recommended. Allow 3–4 hours: first the general-history exhibition, then choose one of the two special galleries to go deep — the Mural Gallery deserves a full hour left on its own.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- Yangrou paomo
- Roujiamo
- Shaanxi liangpi
- Hulu chicken
- Biangbiang noodles
Yangrou paomo (hand-torn flatbread in a rich mutton soup — Xi'an's first flavour); Roujiamo (waxed-sauce pork in a baiji bun); Shaanxi liangpi (Qinzhen rice skins or rolled flour skins); Hulu chicken (boiled first then fried, crisp outside and tender inside — a famous Chang'an dish); Biangbiang noodles (wide noodles with oil-splashed chilli)
| Where to eat | Shaanxi restaurants are dense around Xiaozhai and the Saige shopping district; to sample snacks in one concentrated place, head to Yongxingfang or the Bell Tower area, about 20 minutes by car from the museum |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Paomo is about tearing the bread yourself — the finer you tear it, the better it soaks up the flavour; just say so directly when the shop asks about spice level and pickled garlic; Shaanxi dishes come in generous portions, and three dishes are enough for two people |
| Typical price per person | CNY 40–90 per person (market reference); a sit-down meal at a long-established house runs about CNY 100–150 per person |
| Tips | Touring the museum is tiring — after leaving, have a hot bowl of paomo before continuing your itinerary; the Saige area queues long at meal times, so go off-peak after 2 p.m. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Photos
Photos
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Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0
颐园新居 · CC BY-SA 3.0
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