Museums in Xi'an

Housed in the former headquarters where generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng kidnapped Chiang Kai-shek in December 1936 to force unity against Japan.

The Terracotta Army Museum houses one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century — thousands of life-sized clay soldiers buried to guard Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well, the site now features three excavation pits and a comprehensive exhibition hall.

The Shaanxi History Museum is one of China's four great national museums, housing over 370,000 artefacts spanning 1.1 million years of history. Its Tang-dynasty-style architecture and free admission make it essential.

The Xi'an Museum is a modern city museum built within the courtyard of the ancient Jianfu Temple. Galleries house Tang-dynasty pottery, jade, bronze and calligraphy that complement the larger Shaanxi History Museum's collection.

The Xi'an Museum holds over 130,000 artefacts focused on Xi'an's history from the Western Zhou through the Tang dynasty. Adjacent to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

The Hanyangling Museum protects the burial complex of Western Han Emperor Jingdi (188–141 BCE) — father of the Silk Road emperor Wudi. Underground glass-floor walkways allow visitors to look directly down into the excavation pits, where thousands of miniature ceramic figurines stand in silent formation.

The Stele Forest Museum (Beilin) holds over 3,000 inscribed stone tablets spanning 2,000 years of Chinese calligraphy and history. One of Xi'an's oldest cultural institutions, dating to 1087 CE.

The Banpo Museum protects an excavated Neolithic village site dating to approximately 6000 BCE — one of the oldest settlements discovered in China. A purpose-built hall covers the dwelling foundations, storage pits and burial sites in situ.

The Xi'an Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts is a modern gallery in the new cultural district south of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Its spacious halls host rotating exhibitions of Chinese and international art, from classical calligraphy scrolls to video installations.

The Beilin Museum (Forest of Steles) houses over 3,000 inscribed stone tablets spanning two millennia — one of the world's greatest collections of carved stone calligraphy. Highlights include Nestorian Christian inscriptions, Tang-dynasty poetry and Confucian classics.

The Shaanxi Archaeology Museum is a newer institution showcasing recent discoveries from across the province — sites that have not yet entered the textbooks. Exhibits span Neolithic pottery through Tang tomb murals and include rare artefacts still being studied by researchers.

Built on the excavated site of Chang'an's Western Market, the largest international trading bazaar of the Tang dynasty. Displays trade goods, coins, and artefacts from the Silk Road.