Nanjing Museum (Nanjing Bowuyuan)
Nanjing Museum (Nanjing Bowuyuan)
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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- MuzzamuzzamuzzaWellington, New Zealand140 contributionsA huge museumWe only had 2 hours, which was only enough to cover off the first building. As others have mentioned, reservations are required. If you are a foreigner, don't waste your time with the WeChat QR code (we couldn't get to work anywhere). Go to the small office on the right of the entry hall and get an entry pass by showing your passports and filling in a sign-in sheet. We rented the audio guide and the English commentary was clear. We did not realise how large this museum is and would definitely recommend a whole day or spreading a visit over two half days.Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 8, 2024
- Lawrence TCambridge, United Kingdom1 contributionInteresting but busy!Very good collection of artefacts. The audio guide for RMB20 is in English and was well worth it as not many displays have written information in English. As a foreigner, go to the ticket office on the right hand side after entering the main building where they will check your passport and give you a free ticket. You should try to register beforehand but someone at the office helped me do this. Only downside of the museum was that it was extremely crowded, be prepared to be pushed into when looking at the exhibits. Definitely worth the visit despite how busy it was!Visited June 2024Traveled soloWritten June 5, 2024
- Pilch51Edinburgh, United Kingdom49 contributionsGood artefacts and English accessLots of interesting artefacts and by far the most accessible for English speakers of all the Nanjing attractions I went to. It was sometimes hard to follow the chronology of the history on display though. Multiple buildings mean you can easily spend 3+ hours here. Is very crowded though.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
331 reviews
Excellent
192
Very good
100
Average
29
Poor
6
Terrible
3
Cruiser46021390302
Heidelberg, Germany42 contributions
Oct 2020
Was unable to enter the actual museum! Reservation is required. They required all chinese citizens to have a prebooked reservation. They were going to allow me because of my passport, but would not let my friends in. We traveled quite far and were unable to go in! Quite disappointing. Took a few pictures from the outside. Please use the QR code I've added to prebook for locals. We went on national week.. so I'm not sure if this is the policy year round, but ill inlcude the QR pic for prebooking.
Written October 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lawrence T
Cambridge, UK1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Solo
Very good collection of artefacts. The audio guide for RMB20 is in English and was well worth it as not many displays have written information in English. As a foreigner, go to the ticket office on the right hand side after entering the main building where they will check your passport and give you a free ticket. You should try to register beforehand but someone at the office helped me do this. Only downside of the museum was that it was extremely crowded, be prepared to be pushed into when looking at the exhibits. Definitely worth the visit despite how busy it was!
Written June 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pilch51
Edinburgh, UK49 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
Lots of interesting artefacts and by far the most accessible for English speakers of all the Nanjing attractions I went to. It was sometimes hard to follow the chronology of the history on display though. Multiple buildings mean you can easily spend 3+ hours here. Is very crowded though.
Written September 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dahokolomok
London, UK748 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Fascinating artifacts, but it is a zoo, not a museum. The noise level is like going to a bazaar. The crowd levels are insane. The windows are all hazy and murky.
If you are going, here are some tips:
- advance free ticket required. Even for foreigners. You get it on the miniapp in WeChat.
- limited extra tickets released on the day in the miniapp. 9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm.
- bring your passport
- English audio guide available for 20 Yuan. It's pretty decent.
If you're going to Shanghai too, I recommend the Aurora Museum there. It's ticketed, so much quieter, like a Western museum. Quality of artefacts there are as good or better than here, except that the quantity is much less.
If you are going, here are some tips:
- advance free ticket required. Even for foreigners. You get it on the miniapp in WeChat.
- limited extra tickets released on the day in the miniapp. 9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm.
- bring your passport
- English audio guide available for 20 Yuan. It's pretty decent.
If you're going to Shanghai too, I recommend the Aurora Museum there. It's ticketed, so much quieter, like a Western museum. Quality of artefacts there are as good or better than here, except that the quantity is much less.
Written August 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Markus W
Europe347 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
I really like this museum a lot. The quality and variety of its exhibits are outstanding. And there is no entrance fee. At the beginning of your visit, go the the ticket office located in the first building on the left to claim your free ticket. Make sure to bring your passport along as you have to show it to the staff at the ticket desk. Then you can set out and explore the different galleries. After exiting the ticket office, the next building on the left is the Gallery of Art. Here you can see calligraphy, paintings and sculptures from various and mostly contemporary artists. There are no explanations in English though.
From the Gallery of Art you can access the underground Gallery of Scene of the Republican Period, which is my favorite part of the museum. It is a life-sized reconstruction of a street with shops and restaurants from the Republican Period (1912 to 1949). There is even a post office and railway station. You can walk around everywhere and take in the atmosphere of the past. Great!
Then there is the Gallery of History with its exquisite exhibits covering every period from prehistory to the last dynasty. On two floors you can see everything from mammoth and giant elk skeletons to Tang dynasty figurines, Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain and artifacts and much much more. Explanations are in English here.
The last building is the Gallery of Temporary Exhibitions. At the time of my visit, there were various exhibitions like e.g. on the upcoming Year of the Dog, religious art, old clocks from Europe and China, more porcelain, etc. The rooftop terrace offers great views of Zijin Mountain, you can even see the Ming tombs from there.
From the Gallery of Art you can access the underground Gallery of Scene of the Republican Period, which is my favorite part of the museum. It is a life-sized reconstruction of a street with shops and restaurants from the Republican Period (1912 to 1949). There is even a post office and railway station. You can walk around everywhere and take in the atmosphere of the past. Great!
Then there is the Gallery of History with its exquisite exhibits covering every period from prehistory to the last dynasty. On two floors you can see everything from mammoth and giant elk skeletons to Tang dynasty figurines, Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain and artifacts and much much more. Explanations are in English here.
The last building is the Gallery of Temporary Exhibitions. At the time of my visit, there were various exhibitions like e.g. on the upcoming Year of the Dog, religious art, old clocks from Europe and China, more porcelain, etc. The rooftop terrace offers great views of Zijin Mountain, you can even see the Ming tombs from there.
Written January 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dunedaink
Shenzhen, China54 contributions
May 2019 • Solo
I visited this museum on my own, during the 2019 Labor Day Holiday. As always, I don’t recommend coming on a holiday. Even on a weekend, expect a significant wait. Aside from the jostling, shoving, traffic, queue-jumping and stepping-on of toes, I enjoyed my time here.
On to positives. Get your (free!) ticket in the building to the left of the grand plaza. I waved my passport at an a volunteer and he brought me directly to the counter, where you can also get an English-language audio guide that adds a lot of context to the exhibits.
A small amount of lockers are offered inside the same building. Restrooms are scattered throughout the premises and stocked with toilet paper and German squatters. There is also a restaurant / cafe but I would recommend going across the street instead, where you can find some local restaurants, a coffee shop, and fruit vendor.
I focused on the exhibits in the very grand main building, of which I think my favorite was the complete jade burial suit held together with gold thread (see picture 3). They also have exhibits on painting and calligraphy, which I skipped for want of time. You can spend 2-3 hours here quite easily, so if you want to see everything make it a day trip.
On to positives. Get your (free!) ticket in the building to the left of the grand plaza. I waved my passport at an a volunteer and he brought me directly to the counter, where you can also get an English-language audio guide that adds a lot of context to the exhibits.
A small amount of lockers are offered inside the same building. Restrooms are scattered throughout the premises and stocked with toilet paper and German squatters. There is also a restaurant / cafe but I would recommend going across the street instead, where you can find some local restaurants, a coffee shop, and fruit vendor.
I focused on the exhibits in the very grand main building, of which I think my favorite was the complete jade burial suit held together with gold thread (see picture 3). They also have exhibits on painting and calligraphy, which I skipped for want of time. You can spend 2-3 hours here quite easily, so if you want to see everything make it a day trip.
Written May 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TeikBoon C
Singapore, Singapore179 contributions
Oct 2017 • Solo
It's a huge place showcasing the development of civilization of the area. You can spend pretty much the entire day here visiting exhibits from the Jurassic era to the Kuomintang period. An interesting side show would be attending the opera performance that occurs everyday from 2 to 4pm in a old day teahouse setting. All the cost of a pot of tea of 10 RMB. You can also get snacks of groundnuts and melonseeds to go with the tea. A nice way to end a visit to the museum.
Written October 13, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lilijp03
Beijing, China248 contributions
Jan 2017 • Friends
As the previous review suggests, this museum is for Nanjing, what the Louvre is for Paris. History, from the pre-historic period to the modern is tastefully done, without an overload of ceramics or relics, like you might find in the Nation Museum of Xian. The digital age, and on a lower level, a recreated Chinese street from the 1930's with real shops and a train station, is a popular place for families and locals to visit. Close by is also a tea house with a full stage for Chinese opera. You will need at least 2 hours to whizz past it all.
Written January 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arwen T
Nanjing, China14 contributions
Mar 2016 • Family
I can't believe I've lived in Nanjing for 6 months and only went there for the first time this weekend.
I took my 20 month old there on Saturday and Sunday; he loved climbing the stairs, looking at the exhibits (especially the dinosaurs and mammoth), and he truly loved the children's play area on the 2nd floor. The play area has a sand pit for budding archeologists, and other toys. They also have various sizes of rain boots to wear while playing in the sand. Most of the bathrooms have a baby changing bed.
I saw two different places to get a beverage, we only went to the one on the bottom floor, they had hot tea for 8rmb, and various snacks.
I plan to go back next weekend, sans toddler, so I can see more of the exhibits, but I think this place is a great find if you have kids. Wish I had known about it in the winter!
I took my 20 month old there on Saturday and Sunday; he loved climbing the stairs, looking at the exhibits (especially the dinosaurs and mammoth), and he truly loved the children's play area on the 2nd floor. The play area has a sand pit for budding archeologists, and other toys. They also have various sizes of rain boots to wear while playing in the sand. Most of the bathrooms have a baby changing bed.
I saw two different places to get a beverage, we only went to the one on the bottom floor, they had hot tea for 8rmb, and various snacks.
I plan to go back next weekend, sans toddler, so I can see more of the exhibits, but I think this place is a great find if you have kids. Wish I had known about it in the winter!
Written March 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josh B
Medford, NJ50 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
First off, this museum has a great collection of artifacts from Chinese history and is quite impressive. However, when I went, the crowds were totally out of control. Before you enter, they try to create some sort of crowd control by separating the men and women into separate lines to do security checks, but this control didn't last when you entered. Everything was totally mobbed. The galleries themselves are not very large, and there were so many people taking pictures, school children running about, and everyone pushing and shoving that I wanted to leave. This was especially the case in the gallery with artifacts related to ancient China. The art galleries upstairs are a little less crowded and worth visiting.
Definitely worth a visit, but I would avoid it during holidays and weekends because of the massive crowds!
Definitely worth a visit, but I would avoid it during holidays and weekends because of the massive crowds!
Written April 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is it possible to arrange for a guide of museum?
Written December 19, 2017
Yes. There are special tour groups, with sundry themes. May enquire at service desk.
Written December 20, 2017
Добрый день! Подскажите, есть ли у этого музея официальная электронная почта? Или связаться с ним возможно только по телефону?
Written October 12, 2017
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