Zigong Lantern Park & China Lantern Museum
彩灯公园
The old lantern festival venue in downtown Zigong. The park's China Lantern Museum is the country's only museum devoted to lanterns, where visitors can learn about the history and craftsmanship of the festival.
Lantern Park sits on a small hill in the city centre of Ziliujing District. Originally named Zigong Park, it was the main venue of the Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival from 1987 to 2018, and residents enjoyed the lanterns here for decades. The China Lantern Museum inside opened in 1994 and was the country's first museum devoted to lanterns. Its exterior is designed in the style of a palace lantern. Inside are historical lantern artefacts, photos and models of the representative lantern groups from past Zigong festivals, and displays of lantern-making techniques, including frame-making, paper-pasting and painting, along with folk lantern collections from across China, past and present. It is a good place to learn about lantern culture outside festival season. The park itself is free, the hilltop is wooded, and there are views over the city. The museum is generally free or low-cost (subject to on-site information). Getting there: it is in the city centre, within walking distance of Xiqin Guild Hall and Wangye Temple. Note: the museum may close on Mondays, so check opening hours before you set out.
Opening hours
Park open all day; museum approx. 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Huanhou Palace
- Xiqin Guild Hall (Zigong Salt Industry History Museum)
- Wangye Temple
- Shenhai Salt Well
- Zigong Dinosaur Museum
- Fantawild Dinosaur Kingdom
- Zigong Chinese Lantern World
- Jiang Jie's Hometown