Chengdu Museum New Building

Sanxingdui mask artifact

The Chengdu Museum New Building is a large new comprehensive museum about the history of Sichuan and Chengdu. It is notable for its beautiful location on the broad Tianfu Plaza, its stunning modern façade, and its displays and important artifacts.

Chengdu was once the center of an ancient recently discovered civilization called Sanxingdui that existed 3,000 years ago, and you'll find important artifacts from its archeological sites.

It is probably the best museum in Chengdu's central city area. You'll find displays and artifacts beautifully laid out over 6 floors with shops on each floor. The sights near it such as Tianfu Plaza are worth seeing too. Located by the broad plaza and diagonally opposite the Science and Technology Museum, it is easy to find and easy to reach.

Recommended tours:

• 1-Day Dujiangyan Panda Keeper Program Tour
• 1-Day Chengdu Panda and Sichuan Cuisine Tour
• 4-Day Wolong In-Depth Panda Tour

Quick Useful Museum Information

• Rated: #22 of Things To Do in Chengdu in TripAdvisor in 2019.
• Floors: 6 floors
• Area: 6.5 hectares (16 acres)
• Admission: Free (but you have to get tickets)
• Chinese: 成都博物馆新馆 Chéngdū Bówùguǎn /chung-doo bor-woo-gwan/

Important Features for Tourists and Travelers

Tianfu Plaza

The Chengdu Museum New Building occupies a prominent position near the exact geographical center of Chengdu on the west side of Tianfu Plaza. The plaza is a large plaza and park area.

This is a tourist sightseeing area, and when you are there, you can stop in to see this museum. Visiting might help you learn more about Sichuan and Chengdu so that you can plan your trip better and enjoy it more. Nearby attractions include People's Park. It is less than a 10 minutes walk away (1 minute by taxi).

The museum combines modern technology with thousands of artifacts. Some of them are more than 4,000 years old. The technology brings the exhibits to life. Chengdu Museum is the biggest comprehensive museum in the city. It consists of two towers. The northern one is the public museum, and the southern tower is used for administration. Some English language is used for foreigners.

Recommended tours:

• 3-Day Giant Panda, Giant Buddha, and Ancient Town Tour
• 5-Day Chengdu, Leshan and Mount. Emei Tour

Contact us for a private tour of Leshan and Mount Emei.

The Exhibition Halls Cover Six Floors

Many tourists may think that the puppet theater on the 5th floor is the most entertaining area of the museum.

The museum has a basement floor and 5 floors above ground. Here is how the museum is laid out:

Basement and Floor 1: The basement and the first floor are used as temporary exhibition halls.

Floor Number 2: The history of Chengdu is shown from the second to the fourth floor in chronological order. Floor Number 2 has the Sanxingdui and Jinsha exhibits of ancient people who were there before the invasion of the Qin Empire (221-206 BC). Over 240 artifacts are displayed including a bronze head and burial artifacts.

Floor Number 3: The third floor displays a chronological history of the Chengdu area from the Sui Dynasty (581–618) to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) era. During the imperial age, Chengdu was a commercial, manufacturing, and cultural center. Among the more than 600 artifacts on the floor, you'll find ceramic, gold and silver objects. This floor also explains in detail the notable water transportation system that was in use during the Tang Dynasty (618–907) era and the flourishing mercantile and trade culture in the Song Empire (960–1279) era.

Floor 4 (modern era): Modern Chengdu history is shown on the fourth floor in the museum. Among the many exhibitions is the sword of a local warlord, Liu Xiang. In addition, the Folk Custom Exhibition Hall shows the traditional way of life of both the Chinese and the major minority ethnic groups in Sichuan such as the Tibetans. You can learn what life was generally like in the not so distant past.

Floor 5: The highest floor is used for exhibits and demonstrations of Puppetry and Shadow Plays. The puppetry exhibition is divided into seven areas that show history, different kinds of puppetry, and famed puppeteers. There are over 200 displays on this floor. Shadow puppet theater has a long history in China. It wasn't "child's play." It was adult entertainment that combined traditional musical form, narrative, detailed backdrops, and expert performances to create a wonderful opera form.

Important Travel Information

Related Nearby Museums and Historical Areas

Local snacks at Wide and Narrow Alleys

Chengdu isn't famous for its museums, but it is perhaps one of the top 4 or 5 cities in Mainland China for interesting museums. The main reason is that it has ancient archeological sites like Sanxingdui that are much older than the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, and these are almost as interesting in terms of artifacts.

Along with these two archeological sites, the government has built large comprehensive museums on everything from Sichuan history to technology and science that are easily accessible for tourists in the central city area. The best museums are near subways.

There is another museum in the Chengdu central city area called Sichuan Museum. It is in the Caotang District adjacent to the Dufu Thatched Cottage Park and museum near the Wide and Narrow Alleys (Kuanzhai Xiang).

That is another excellent museum you could visit for both Sichuan and Chengdu history, and you could make it a day of seeing the Dufu museum and Sichuan museum and having dinner or refreshments in the Wide and Narrow Alleys area.

You Can Tour the Sichuan Historical Sights with Us

You can go to Chengdu's best highlights such as the Chengdu Museum and pandas with us.

Chengdu not only has an intriguing history but also spectacular natural places and pandas. If you are planning a trip to Chengdu, seeing some giant pandas can't be missed. See the following Chengdu tours. We can combine or alter these for the museum visit as you dictate.

• 2-Day Panda Keeper and Chengdu Highlights Tour: A classic panda and Chengdu tour.
• 12-Day A Broad Taste of China Tour: We'll take you across China from Beijing to Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong. You'll see the highlights in each region and dine on the best of each regional cuisine.

Create My Trip: Contact us to receive a free quotation for a tailor-made tour - just tell us your requirements and interests.

We could add in the Chengdu Museum New Building on any tour if you want to see the museum. See more Chengdu tours. Our tours can be modified according to your interests and requirements.

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