Gansu Provincial Museum
甘肃省博物馆
Home to the Galloping Horse (Horse Stepping on a Flying Swallow), and one of the top museums for Silk Road civilization, Gansu painted pottery and Buddhist art. A must-see in Lanzhou.
The Gansu Provincial Museum is on Xijin West Road in Qilihe District. Its collection holds about 350,000 artifacts, making it one of the most important museums in Northwest China. Its treasure is the Eastern Han bronze Galloping Horse (commonly called 'Horse Stepping on a Flying Swallow,' the symbol of Chinese tourism), unearthed in 1969 from the Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei. It is displayed in the Gansu Silk Road Civilization hall, which also includes a bronze chariot procession, Han wooden slips, Tang tri-color glazed ceramics and Tang-Tibetan silk textiles.
Other permanent exhibitions include 'Gansu Painted Pottery,' where the Majiayao culture pieces represent the peak of Chinese painted pottery art, and the Dadiwan artifacts, including the human-head-shaped painted pottery vase, are especially famous. There is also 'Gansu Paleontological Fossils' (ancient Yellow River elephant fossils and dinosaurs) and 'Solemn Majesty: Gansu Buddhist Art' (grotto sculptures from sites such as Tianti Mountain and Bingling Temple).
Admission is free, but you must book with real-name registration through the 'Gansu Provincial Museum' WeChat account or mini-program. Slots are limited in peak season, so book 3 to 5 days ahead. The museum offers volunteer guides and audio tours, and the cultural souvenir shop's Galloping Horse merchandise is very popular. A visit takes about 2 hours. Start with the Silk Road and painted pottery halls.
Getting there: walk about 10 minutes from Qilihe Station on Metro Line 1, or take a bus to 'Qilihe Bridge.' From Zhongshan Bridge, a taxi takes about 15 minutes.
Please note: the authentic Galloping Horse is sometimes lent out for exhibitions, so check ahead. The museum is closed on Mondays. Flash photography is not allowed inside. The nearby Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum (free) can be visited on the way.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00); closed Mon
Nearby sights
- Yellow River Mother Statue
- Jinchengguan Cultural Expo Park
- Baita (White Pagoda) Mountain Park
- Zhongshan Bridge (Yellow River Iron Bridge)
- Xiguan Mosque
- Gansu Jiandu (Bamboo and Wooden Slips) Museum
- Zhangye Road Pedestrian Street & Dazhong Lane
- Lanzhou Prefecture City God Temple