Shaanxi Archaeology Museum opens — China's first

On 28 April 2022, the Shaanxi Archaeology Museum (陕西考古博物馆) opened its doors in the city's southwest — China's first museum dedicated to archaeology as a discipline, rather than to a single site or dynasty.

What makes it different:

• How, not just what — the museum walks you through the actual methods: how digs are laid out, how tombs are entered, how fragile finds are lifted and conserved. Its four halls cover prehistory, the Zhou and Qin, the Han and Tang, and modern archaeology.
• The finds are genuine and often recent — including pieces from digs that were still underway when the museum opened.
• It's the perfect complement to the big sights — the Terracotta Army shows you the result; here you learn how it was ever recovered in the first place.

Entry is free with a real-name reservation. See our museum page for how to book, hours and getting there.