Gansu Provincial Museum

The Gansu Provincial Museum is located in Qilihe District, Lanzhou, housing numerous precious cultural relics. Its excellence and richness rank among the top museums nationwide, making it one of the iconic landmarks to visit in downtown Lanzhou. Situated along the Silk Road and at the junction of Han and Tibetan regions, the museum showcases a wealth of artifacts reflecting the cultures of the western regions, central plains, and Tibetan areas, resulting in a diverse and distinctive collection that's highly worth visiting. The museum's renowned national treasures, such as the bronze statue "horse treading on a flying swallow" and the courier mural brick, are must-see highlights for visitors.

The museum has three floors, featuring permanent exhibitions on the civilization of the Silk Road, Buddhist art of Gansu, painted pottery of Gansu, paleontology, and revolutionary history of Gansu. Among these, the Silk Road, Buddhist art, and painted pottery themes are particularly outstanding, and visitors can explore them based on their interests. There is also a temporary exhibition hall on the first floor, which frequently hosts rotating displays of cultural relics and artworks. With numerous exhibits on display, a casual tour of the museum typically takes nearly half a day.

The silk road civilization exhibition is located on the second floor as the core exhibition of Gansu Provincial Museum. The famous bronze galloping horse statue "horse treading on a flying swallow" is displayed here, whose design now serves as China's tourism symbol. This bronze statue stands firmly with only one hoof touching the ground, demonstrating the superb casting techniques of ancient times. The horse treading on a flying swallow is also the museum's most treasured artifact. The famous courier mural brick is also exhibited here, whose courier image has become the symbol of China's postal industry. Besides these two national treasures, the museum houses numerous precious cultural relics from the ancient silk road, including artifacts of central plains culture, treasures left by western regions and even European civilizations that traveled along the silk road, as well as distinctive Islamic cultural relics in ancient China. Some areas feature restored models of ancient western regions' lifestyles and customs through sand tables, showcasing rich ethnic minority characteristics that are truly eye-opening.

The Gansu Buddhist art exhibition is located on the third floor as another significant display in the museum. It features replicated caves from Mogao Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes, along with massive Tibetan Buddhist white pagodas and prayer wheels. Entering this exhibition hall feels like stepping into a magnificent grand temple. The displayed Buddha statues and ritual objects are exquisitely crafted, showcasing both Han Chinese Buddhist historical relics and precious Tibetan Buddhist religious artifacts. Such cultural fusion can only be seen in regions like Gansu where Han and Tibetan cultures merge, making it truly distinctive.

The Gansu painted pottery exhibition is also located on the third floor. Upon entering, visitors feel transported to an ancient tribal setting, with replicated thatched huts and tribal people engaged in daily activities. The lifelike human figures create such realistic illusions that viewers might mistake them for actual people. The exhibition displays numerous pottery pieces from 4,000-5,000 years ago, including artifacts from the Majiayao, Qijia, and Yangshao cultures. Despite their age, these ancient ceramics showcase exquisite craftsmanship with beautiful patterns and unique shapes, all available for close observation.

The paleontology-themed exhibition is divided into two halls. The fossil exhibition on the second floor displays fossils of ancient creatures such as dinosaurs, with the famous Huanghe ancient elephant fossil being one of the largest discovered in China. The third floor features model exhibitions of ancient elephants and dinosaurs, creating an immersive dinosaur world experience that children particularly enjoy. Located on the second floor, the red Gansu-themed exhibition hall showcases revolutionary artifacts from the Nanliang base and Shaan-Gan-Ning border region during the revolutionary period, which visitors are welcome to explore.

On the second floor of the Gansu Provincial Museum, there is a café with prices similar to an average café outside. If you feel tired, you can stop by for a coffee break. Volunteers occasionally provide guide services in the museum, but availability is not guaranteed. Booking a professional guide requires advance phone reservation, with prices ranging approx. 100-300 CNY depending on group size and language. You can also connect to the museum's Wi-Fi and scan the QR codes on exhibits to listen to the audio guide. Additionally, the museum offers free wheelchair rental and luggage storage services. For more details, please visit the official website.