We are sure this is a wonderful museum trying to get out There were some very interesting this on display, it's just that we didn't know what they were No english A shame

SWMBO and I got to this museum, which is inside the very much larger GuangZhou Uprising Martyrs Park (TA reviewed), by taking Metro Line #1 and alighting at the aptly named Martyrs Park. We took exit ‘D’ and found ourselves only a few metres from the big red iron front gates. Before going to the museum, I visited the 4 Martyrs Cemetery (TA reviewed) which is across the paved way leading to the main memorial. We walked to the museum, there’s a nice 5-arch bridge leading the front door. SWMBO said the building used to the Headquarters of the GuangZhou police. It’s a wonderful circular building, I can’t imagine it was built as a police station. No entrance fee or ID but bags are put through an X-Ray (or whatever machine). I picked-up a flyer at the door. It’s rather gloomy inside and flash photography isn’t allowed, so I put my trusty Pentax in its case and relied on my old Samsung phone which takes better photos in low light. There’s lots to see, the only English is on the introduction to each ’unit’ of the museum. The ground floor is the political history of GuangZhou from roughly 1839 with the First Opium War, the various uprisings, the Japanese occupation, the Nationalists versus the Communists, and finishes around 1947 with the formation of modern China. Obviously, the various GuangZhou uprisings and the main participants get a lot of attention. Plenty of photographs but no English. We climbed the stairs to the first floor (second to the locals) where the emphasis changes from politics to economics and everyday life. Once again, the only English is on introduction to the unit. There’s plenty of artifacts showing everyday life and the development of GuangZhou into a thriving and dynamic manufacturing and business centre. Once again lots to see. I did find a reference to Essex in an open book about Concrete Finishes. Why was this book there? I’ve no idea but maybe an omen telling it was time for a few weeks back in Essex. SWMBO failed to appreciate my delight when I boasted I’d been across Wickford Bridge. We wandered around the museum for a couple of hours. If I could read Chinese, I’m sure it would have been longer! There’s so much to see and take in. Before venturing back outside we found an out-of-the-way bench and sat and ate slices of peach and pear and drank tea to combat the sauna like weather we’d experience as we explored the rest of the GuangZhou Uprising Martyrs Park.