September 18th Historical Museum
“九·一八”历史博物馆
A War of Resistance museum built beside the site of the Liutiaohu Incident. Its Broken Calendar Stele, a wealth of artifacts and scene reconstructions depict the September 18th Incident of 1931 and the 14 years of resistance in the Northeast.
The September 18th Historical Museum is on Wanghua South Street in Dadong District, right next to the Liutiaohu Incident site, where on September 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army blew up the South Manchuria Railway and launched the September 18th Incident. The Broken Calendar Stele was erected in 1991, and the museum was expanded in 1999. It is one of the most important War of Resistance memorials in China. The stele in front of the museum is 18 meters tall and resembles a flipped desk calendar, frozen at September 18, 1931. Its surface is covered with bullet marks and skulls, and it is the museum's emblem. Inside, eight exhibition halls trace the chronology from the outbreak of the September 18th Incident through the occupation of the Northeast, the rule of the puppet state of Manchukuo, the struggle of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and Japan's surrender. The halls contain many artifacts, photographs and reconstructed scenes, including the Pingdingshan Massacre, Japanese bacteriological warfare and Anti-Japanese United Army secret camps. The exhibits are solemn and weighty. Outside, a 'Blast Site' stele erected by the Japanese at the time is also preserved. Admission is free. Book through the official WeChat account or on site with your ID card. The museum is closed on Mondays except public holidays. Last admission is at 16:00, and free guided tours are available. Each year on the morning of September 18, a bell-striking ceremony is held and air-raid sirens sound across the city. Getting there: take Metro Line 10 to Liutiaohu station, or transfer between Lines 1 and 10 to Dongzhongjie station and walk about 15 minutes. From Mukden Palace, a taxi takes about 15 minutes. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the visit, and you can combine it with Fuling (East Tomb) on the same day. Notes: the content is heavy, so guide children through it carefully. Keep quiet and avoid inappropriate photography.
Opening hours
Closed Mondays; 09:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Nearby sights
- North Pagoda & Falun Temple
- Shenyang Resist America Aid Korea Martyrs' Cemetery
- Zhongjie Pedestrian Street
- Mukden (Hoten) POW Camp Site
- Liu Laogen Grand Stage
- Mukden Palace (Shenyang Imperial Palace)
- Marshal Zhang's Mansion
- Zhaoling Mausoleum (Beiling Park)