Nanjing Museum

南京博物院

One of China's three great museums, with 430,000 items. Highlights include the jade burial suit, the glazed archway from the Great Bao'en Temple and the Republican-era hall's recreated old Nanjing streets. Admission is free, but advance booking is required.

The Nanjing Museum lies inside Zhongshan Gate. Its predecessor, the National Central Museum, was founded in 1933 at the initiative of Cai Yuanpei. It is one of China's earliest modern museums and, together with the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China, one of the country's three great museums, with over 430,000 items. The complex consists of 'one museum, six halls': the History Hall, Art Hall, Special Exhibition Hall, Digital Hall, Republican Era Hall and Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall.

Highlights: in the History Hall, the Eastern Han silver-inlaid bronze ox lamp, the Western Han jade burial suit sewn with gold thread, the glazed-tile archway from the Ming-era Great Bao'en Temple pagoda, and the Map of the Myriad Countries of the World (Kunyu Wanguo Quantu). In the Art Hall, paintings and calligraphy by Fu Baoshi and Chen Zhifo, and Ming and Qing porcelain. The Republican Era Hall recreates old Nanjing streets, the railway station, the post office and a café at 1:1 scale. Visitors can take photos there in qipao dresses, making it the most popular area. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall has demonstrations of Nanjing Yunjin brocade looms and Suzhou embroidery, and a teahouse where you can listen to pingtan storytelling.

Admission is free, but you must book in advance with real-name registration through the official 'Nanjing Museum' WeChat account. Slots are usually released seven days ahead, and holiday slots fill quickly. The museum is closed on Mondays, except on public holidays. Special exhibitions sometimes charge a fee. The Old Great Hall is itself a classic Republican-era building, styled after Liao dynasty architecture.

Getting there: an 8-minute walk from Exit 1 of Ming Palace station on Metro Line 2. It is close to Zhongshan Gate and the Ming City Wall.

Allow at least 3 hours. Start at the History Hall and finish at the Republican Era Hall. For lunch, try the teahouse in the grounds or head to the area near Nanjing University.

Note: large backpacks must be checked in. The Republican Era Hall limits entry when crowded.

Nanjing Museum

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