International Museum Day is around the corner. Are you planning a trip to a museum but always getting lost in the different fields of knowledge covered by large museums? GDToday has prepared a guide to 5 niche museums to explore in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Save it for a morning or afternoon to immerse yourself in a specific subject.
Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum, Guangzhou
Established on the site of the Qing Dynasty's sole legal trading zone, the Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum presents a historical panorama of the Thirteen Hongs, as well as over 600 art pieces delicately made by craft masters in Guangzhou.
Exhibits in Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum
If you go:
Opening times: 9:00am-5:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Ticket: free
Address: No. 37 Xidi Erma Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou (in Guangzhou Cultural Park)
Guangzhou Metro Museum, Guangzhou
For metro fans, the Guangzhou Metro Museum is a must-visit place to learn about the history of the Guangzhou metro. The museum not only showcases a complete collection of train models but also offers a simulated metro driving experience, bringing the city's metro system indoors.
Left: metro train model in Guangzhou Metro Museum
Right: simulated metro driving offered by Guangzhou Metro Museum
Opening times: 10:00am-4:00pm, Tuesday to Friday; 9:00am-5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday
Ticket: free
Address: UG1-UG3, Building C, Wansheng Square, Wanshengwei, Haizhu District, Guangzhou
Guangdong Chinese Medicine Museum, Guangzhou
A comprehensive exhibition of Lingnan Chinese medicine can be found on the campus of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The university-curated Guangdong Chinese Medicine Museum houses 600 bottles of immersed herbal samples, arranged on towering shelves, which Chinese netizens refer to as the "palace of crystals."
Walls of immersed herbal samples at Guangdong Chinese Medicine Museum
If you go:
Opening times: 9:00am-4:45pm, Monday to Saturday
Ticket: free
Address: No. 232 East Ring Road, University Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou
Century Amber Museum, Shenzhen
In the northwest of Shenzhen, the world's largest museum in the amber industry is located, with over 1,000 pieces of amber on display. Century Amber Museum showcases amber in its natural form as stones from millions of years ago, as well as the artistic and craft masterpieces created by humans. Visitors can learn about the formation of amber in nature and its uses in various industries.
Left: Amber stones from Lebanon exhibited at Century Amber Museum
Right: Amber bracelet exhibited at Century Amber Museum
If you go:
Opening times: 10:00am-5:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Ticket: free, ID required.
Address: 3rd Floor, No.1 Songrui Road, Songgang Subdistrict, Bao'an District, Shenzhen
Xi Wu Museum, Shenzhen
Curated by a private collector, Xi Wu Museum aims to showcase the domestic life of Chinese people from the 1940s to the 1990s, featuring over 1,000 household "antiques" ranging from film projectors to kettles. The term "Xi Wu," meaning to cherish and preserve old items, reflects a nostalgic sentiment towards the previous century.
Exhibits at Xi Wu Museum
If you go:
Opening times: 9:30am-12:00, 2:00pm-6:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Ticket: free
Address: 4th Floor, Building A, Guangming Redwood Town, Gongming Subdistrict, Guangming District, Shenzhen
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Editor | Nan, James
Poster | Lulu
Photo | Guangzhou Thirteen Hongs Museum, Guangzhou Metro Museum, Panyu Fabu, Century Amber Museum, Xi Wu Museum
