Jilin Provincial Museum (Changchun)

Official Name: Jilin Provincial Museum (吉林省博物院), commonly referred to as Jilin Museum
Location: Main Building – No. 1666 Yongshun Road, Jingyue High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Changchun (长春净月高新技术产业开发区永顺路1666号), near Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Museum and the Optical Museum. The old branch is located in Kuancheng District: Jilin Province Modern History Exhibition Hall (吉林省近现代史陈列馆).
History: Approved for construction in 1951, opened in 1952 along the Songhua River (松花江) in Jilin City, relocated to Changchun in 1954. The new Jingyue building opened in 2016, recognized as a national first-class museum, a key research and study base for students, and one of Jilin’s leading historical and art museums.
Building & Collection: 32,000㎡ over 5 floors, modern minimalist grey-white stone design, atrium with open space and an Instagram-famous spiral staircase. The museum houses over 120,000 artifacts, including 295 first-class treasures, 3,379 second-class, and 14,280 third-class relics, featuring Goguryeo (高句丽), Bohai (渤海), Liao & Jin (辽金) artifacts, historical paintings, and Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army (东北抗联) relics.

Opening Hours & Tickets:

• Open: Tuesday–Sunday 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), closed Mondays (except public holidays).
• Tickets: Free, real-name reservation required via WeChat official account 【吉林省博物院】; advance booking 1–6 days in 3 time slots (9:00–11:00 / 11:00–13:00 / 13:00–16:00). Foreign visitors can register with passports on site. Seniors 65+ and young children can enter without reservation.
  Inquiry: 0431-88917353 (group study reservation).

Floor Layout & Five Core Permanent Exhibitions

1F｜Temporary Exhibitions & Zhang Boju Gallery (张伯驹馆) – The Heart of Calligraphy & Painting

• Zhang Boju Gallery: Showcases lifetime donations by collector Zhang Boju (张伯驹), featuring original works by Su Shi (苏轼) and gold-era paintings. Permanent exhibition includes donor history and cultural contributions.
• Temporary Exhibition Hall: Rotating exhibits of calligraphy, archaeology, Song dynasty porcelain, Ming-Qing paintings, and Northeast archaeological finds. Rare works like Su Shi’s Dongting Chunse Fu & Zhongshan Songlao Fu and Yang Jieyu’s (杨婕妤) Baihua Tu are displayed during special periods.

2F｜“Memory of Baishan Songshui” – Jilin History Exhibition (白山松水的记忆 – 吉林通史陈列)

• Covers 40,000 years of Jilin’s civilization, from Yushu Man (榆树人, Paleolithic) → Buyeo (扶余) → Goguryeo (高句丽) → Bohai Kingdom (渤海国) → Liao & Jin (辽金) → Ming-Qing → Modern migration East (闯关东).
• Key Artifacts:
  • Eastern Han Gilt Silver “Bingwu Shen Gou” Bronze Belt Hook (东汉错金银丙午神钩铜带钩, National Treasure), imperial gift to Buyeo king.
  • Western Han White Jade Cup (西汉汉白玉耳杯), royal cup imported from Central China.
  • Liao-era Khitan Octagonal Inscribed Bronze Mirror (辽契丹文八角铜镜), largest surviving Khitan mirror.
  • Goguryeo gilt bronze, Bohai tri-colored ceramics, Buyeo bronzeware.

3F｜Three Thematic Exhibitions

• Ceramic Art (瓷彩华章・陶瓷艺术馆): Northern Song official kiln guan ear vase (国家禁止出境), Ruyao narcissus basin (全球仅6件存世), Liao tri-color, Ming-Qing official kiln collection. Key for porcelain enthusiasts.
• Jilin Stories & Intangible Cultural Heritage (吉林故事・吉林非遗展): Mǎn ethnic embroidery (满族刺绣), Chagan Lake winter fishing (查干湖冬捕), shamanic instruments (萨满器具), Korean ethnic folk culture (朝鲜族民俗), Northeast shadow puppetry (东北皮影). Immersive, family-friendly.
• Dawn – Revolutionary History of Jilin People (破晓——东北抗联专题): Artifacts of Yang Jingyu (杨靖宇), Zhao Shangzhi (赵尚志), letters, weapons. Core for red-themed study tours.

4F｜Masterpieces of Calligraphy & Painting (历代书画精品馆)

• Rotating display of national treasures:
  • Jin Dynasty (金) Zhang Yu: Wen Ji Returns to Han (文姬归汉图)
  • Yuan Dynasty (元) Zhang Wo: Nine Songs (临李公麟九歌图)
  • Ming Dynasty (明) Dong Qichang: Zhao Jin Tang Tu (昼锦堂图)
  • Qing Dynasty (清) Ding Guanpeng: Fa Jie Yuan Liu Tu (法界源流图)
  • Modern: Qi Baishi (齐白石), Zhang Daqian (张大千), Xu Beihong (徐悲鸿), Pu Xinyu (溥心畬).

Eight Must-See Treasures

1. Su Shi (苏轼) Dongting Chunse Fu & Zhongshan Songlao Fu – Northern Song calligraphy
2. Zhang Yu (张瑀) Wen Ji Returns to Han – Jin Dynasty painting
3. Northern Song official kiln guan ear vase – state-protected porcelain
4. Liao Khitan Octagonal Inscribed Bronze Mirror
5. Eastern Han Gilt Silver Bingwu Shen Gou Bronze Belt Hook
6. Western Han White Jade Goguryeo Cup
7. Yang Jieyu (杨婕妤) Baihua Tu – Southern Song painting
8. Ding Guanpeng (丁观鹏) Fa Jie Yuan Liu Tu – Qing Dynasty scroll

Transportation Guide

Public Transport (Recommended):

• Metro Line 6: Get off at Provincial Museum Station (省博物院站)
• Bus: Routes 102, G102, 160 → Jilin Provincial Museum Stop, 200m walk

Driving:

• Navigation: Jilin Provincial Museum, No. 1666 Yongshun Road
• Free on-site parking (~200 spaces). Weekdays ample, weekends arrive before 9:00 recommended. Overflow parking at nearby Science Museum, 3-minute walk.
• From Longjia Airport: 30-minute drive via Shengtao Street; from Changchun Railway Station: 35 minutes by car.

Suggested Visiting Routes

Option 1 – Half-Day Quick Tour (3h):
Entrance → 1F Zhang Boju Gallery → 2F General History Exhibition → 3F Ceramics + Heritage + Anti-Japanese Exhibition → 4F Calligraphy & Painting → Museum Shop

Option 2 – Full-Day Study Tour (5h):
Morning: 1F Special Exhibition → 2F History (2h) → Lunch outside
Afternoon: 3F Ceramics + Heritage + Anti-Japanese → 4F Calligraphy → optional visit to Jilin Province Museum of Natural History (吉林省自然博物馆), 8-minute drive

Nearby One-Day Cultural Circuits (Jingyue Area)

Route 1 – Popular Science & Culture Day:
Jilin Museum (morning, 3h) → Jilin Province Natural History Museum (14:00–17:00) → evening walk at Jingyue潭 National Forest Park. Straight-line distance 3–8 km.

Route 2 – Changchun Two-Day Cultural Tour:
Day 1: Jilin Museum → Jingyue潭
Day 2: Puppet Emperor’s Palace Museum (伪满皇宫博物院) → Guilin Road Food Night Market

Practical Tips & Visitor Services

• Guided Tours: Free live guides at 9:30 (2F History) and 13:30 (3F Ceramics). Audio guide rental 20 RMB per device.
• Amenities: Free luggage storage, wheelchair rental. 3F drinking water available; bring your own bottle. Strollers not allowed in exhibition halls.
• Dress: Indoor temperature 24℃; light jacket recommended in summer; comfortable shoes for walking.

• Photography Rules: No flash, no tripods inside exhibition halls, and touching artifacts is strictly prohibited to ensure preservation of cultural relics.
• Food & Dining: There are no full-service restaurants inside the museum. However, just outside Yongshun Road (永顺路), you’ll find a dense cluster of Northeastern cuisine restaurants serving local favorites such as Guobaorou (锅包肉), iron pot stew (铁锅炖), and smoked meat pancakes (熏肉大饼). It’s convenient to combine a museum visit with a casual local meal nearby.

Branch Exhibition Hall – Jilin Modern History Museum (吉林省近现代史展馆)

Located in Kuancheng District (宽城区), Changchun, the branch focuses on modern and contemporary history of Jilin Province, including the Manchukuo period (伪满洲国历史), industrial development in Northeast China, and regional social transformation in the 20th century.

This independent exhibition space operates from 09:00–19:00 (last entry 18:30) and remains open throughout the year without a Monday closure. Entry requires a separate reservation, making it a useful extension for visitors interested in deeper regional history beyond the main museum collections.