Xinjiang Regional Museum

Introducing Xinjiang Regional Museum (from Urumqi Municipal Commission of Tourism)
Situated in Xibei Lu, in Urumqi City, the Xinjiang Regional Museum is a large integrated museum and centre for the collection and study of cultural relics discovered in the region. Built in 1953, Xinjiang Regional Museum has an exhibition hall that covers an area of about 7,800 square meters (approx. 9,328 square yards). The building is in a Uigur style, the internal decor having strong ethnic features. In total there are over 50,000 items in the collection. These not only represent the ethnic lifestyle and humanity of the region but also illustrate its revolutionary spirit. With such an abundance of items on display, the exhibition is widely acknowledged for its comprehensive and informative nature both at home and abroad.

Xinjiang Regional Museum Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Xin Jiang Wei Wu Er Zi Zhi Qu Bo Wu Guan 新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆
• Best Time to Visit: All year around
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 2-3 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Uighur History and Culture, Mummies
• Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 from Apr 15 to Oct 15; 10:30 to 18:00 from Oct 16 to Apr 14
• Entrance Fee: Free
• Address: No.581Xibei Road, Shayibake District, Urumqi, Xinjiang

What to expect at Xinjiang Regional Museum

The exhibition relating to folk customs includes costumes, tools and every day necessities. Together they vividly illustrate for us the dress, lifestyle, religion, marriage customs, festivals and other aspects of the colorful life of the 12 minorities that live in Xinjiang.

The historical relics include carpentries, ironwares, bronze wares, bright and beautiful brocades, tomb figures, pottery, coins, rubbings from stone inscriptions, and writings as well as weapons and so on. These give an insight into the past and show how the society of Xinjiang developed. There is even the fossil of a human head that dates back some 10,000 years.

The display of ancient corpses is fantastic, for it was in this region that a great number of ancient and well preserved remains were discovered. These are quite different from the mummies in Egypt that were created by skilled embalming procedures; the corpses here were dried by the particular natural environment. In all there are twenty-one specimens in the collection and include men, women, lovers, and generals. The Loulan beauty is among the best preserved and famous ones. The Loulan beauty has a reddish brown skin, thick eyelashes, charming large eyes, and long hair. This particular ‘charming’ corpse has survived for an estimated 4,000 years.

A visit to the museum need not be dictated by the seasons. You can come here whenever to see the amazing human remains and all the other precious relics, and so learn more about the brilliant civilization that flourished in the region.

How to get to Xinjiang Regional Museum
• Take bus 7, 51, 68, 303, 305, 311, 518, 532, 906, 910, 912, 928, 5201, BRT4 to Bowuguan Station.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Urumqi to Xinjiang Regional Museum.

Additional travel advice on Xinjiang Regional Museum
• Only 2, 000 visitors are allowed to visit the museum for one day.
• The Musuem is closed on Monday (postponed when meeting a legal national holiday), on the New Year’s Eve, the first and second days of the lunar new year.
• It is not allowed to take water into the museum.