Shaanxi History Museum Ticket with Guide Option Xi'an

The Shaanxi History Museum

Opened in 1991, the Shaanxi History Museum was one of China's first large modern museums, and its buildings, with grey-tiled roofs and pale walls, echo the palace halls of the Tang dynasty. Its galleries follow the history of Shaanxi province, the heartland of early China, where the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang all ruled from capitals in and around Xi'an. The collection runs from prehistoric tools to the treasures of the Tang court.

The permanent galleries are arranged in order of time, which makes the museum an excellent introduction to Chinese history before or after the Terracotta Army. Is the Shaanxi History Museum worth visiting? For anyone interested in China's past, it is the single best museum in Xi'an, and many travellers rank it above the warriors for the sheer quality of its objects.

Treasures Inside: Bronzes, Gold and Painted Pottery

Highlights begin with the ritual bronze vessels of the Western Zhou, many inscribed with long texts, and continue with Qin and Han objects such as weapons, jade and a few terracotta figures. The Tang galleries are the most dazzling: gold and silver bowls, ewers and incense burners from a hoard discovered in the south of Xi'an in 1970, and the famous beast-head agate cup, carved from a single piece of banded stone.

Look out too for the Tang three-colour glazed pottery, with camels, horses and foreign merchants that show how open Chang'an was to the Silk Road. Your guide explains how these pieces were made and used, and links each period to sites you can visit around the city. Some special exhibitions, including the Tang tomb murals, are ticketed separately and not included.

Planning Your Visit: Reservations, Hours and How to Get There

Shaanxi History Museum opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 08:30 into the early evening, with last entry earlier; the museum usually closes on Mondays except public holidays. Entry is by reservation only, linked to each visitor's passport, and slots open only a few days ahead and go quickly. That is why we ask you to book at least six days in advance and send passport details straight away.

How to get to the Shaanxi History Museum: it is in southern Xi'an, about 15 minutes' walk from Xiaozhai metro station or a short taxi ride from the old centre. Plan around three hours for a guided visit. Mornings on weekdays are calmer; weekends and summer holidays are very busy.

Around the Museum: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The museum is only about a kilometre from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the symbol of Xi'an, built in 652 to hold Buddhist scriptures brought from India along the Silk Road. The pagoda stands inside Da Ci'en Temple, a working monastery, and the squares around it have gardens, Tang-style statues and a large musical fountain north of the pagoda that plays on most evenings.

It is easy to pair the two in one day: museum in the morning, lunch nearby, then the pagoda in the afternoon. For a fully planned day, the guided option on this page adds the pagoda and the squares around it with a private vehicle. Halal (qingzhen) restaurants are easy to find across Xi'an, with the greatest choice in the Muslim Quarter near the Drum Tower.