Overseas Chinese Museum in Xiamen

Why is Overseas Chinese Museum So Special?

1. Great place to learn about the life of early Chinese migrant workers to other parts of the world, especially South East Asia.
2. It is the first specialized museum in China founded with the funds raised by overseas Chinese to display the history of overseas Chinese in a systematic and all-round way.

Brief Introduction of Overseas Chinese Museum

The Overseas Chinese Museum is a building of national features with a building area of more than 3,000 square meters, displaying more than 7000 exhibits. The museum is presided and founded by Tan Kah-kee, a well-known leader of overseas Chinese, as well as countrymen residing abroad and returning overseas Chinese. It is started in 1956 and opened to the public in May of 1959.

The museum is divided into six sections, such as the production and development of overseas Chinese, tragedies of overseas Chinese before Liberation, the friendship between overseas Chinese and the people of the host countries, the contribution of overseas Chinese to the motherland, the past and present of the community of overseas Chinese, the review of policies of overseas Chinese.

History of Overseas Chinese Museum

Overseas Chinese Museum is spread over an area of 3000 sq meters and is home to over 7000 exhibits. This museum is founded and presided by a popular overseas Chinese leader, Tan Kah Kee, along with countrymen living abroad or returning from overseas.

Main Attractions of Overseas Chinese Museum

The Exhibition Halls

A lot of artifacts seen in the museum are funded or donated by very rich, elite Chinese tycoons that have moved to foreign countries in the last few years. The Overseas Chinese Museum’s exhibition halls have displays of bronzes, pottery, painting and exploration of Chinese overseas, demonstrating the lifestyle of the Chinese located abroad. Several exhibits, particularly the photograph exhibitions, concentrate on the emigrants from Fuji.

The Display

The museum has been divided into six main segments to make it easy for visitors to explore all the artifacts and understand more about the collection. It displays several cultural specimens, handicrafts and relics which have been invested in or donated by several of the Chinese living abroad. This embodies the guiding thought of the founder Tan Kah Kee stating that people must show a respect for cultural and scientific information, making good use of the social consequences.

Items On Display

The entire museum has an exhibition space of around 2400 sq meters spread over three halls. The museum displays over 1200 pieces of documentation and pictures of all kinds, over 1000 specimen pieces of aquatic products, beasts and rare birds and over 2000 rare relics. Some of the special exhibitions in the museum include the Ancient Achievements of Chinese Agriculture, the Tri-colored Tang glazed pottery or Luoyang Tang San Cai, the Folk Relics of Inner Mongolian and the Xinjiang Unearthed Mummies.

Recommended Xiamen Tour Packages

• Xiamen Gulangyu Island Half-day tour
• 5 Days Fujian Province Adoption Heritage Tour
• 4 Days Fujian Tulou Cycling Tour from Xiamen
• 8 Days Fujian Xiamen and Wuyishan Tea Culture Tour
• 4 Days Xiamen City and Fujian Tulou Tour
• 1 Day Xiamen City & Gulang Yu Island Tour

Best Seasons to Visit Xiamen

Xiamen has a subtropical climate, which is generally temperate with abundant rainwater. It has an average annual temperature of approximately 21 centigrade. There is no intense heat in summer and no extreme cold in winter in Xiamen. The city has an average annual rainfall of about 1200mm (47 inches), mainly during the months from May to August. Wind power reaches Grade 3 to 4 in general, with northeast wind representing the dominant wind direction. Owing to the air currents resulting from the difference in temperature in the Pacific, Xiamen is hit by typhoon three or four times annually on average, which mainly occurs during the months from July to September. Xiamen is suitable for traveling all year round, and the best seasons are spring and autumn.

How to get to Xiamen University

Travel with ChinaDragonTours (top recommended)

If you want to get out of the traffic and hassle of navigation, you can book a private tour package that includes visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local guide and driver will escort you to Xiamen Overseas Chinese Museum in the fastest and most convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.

Independent Traveler

Useful Travel Tips

1. RESTAURANTS 
   Chaofu Cheng Tea Restaurant 潮福城: Cantonese and Chaozhou-style dishes. Try the shrimp dumplings (虾饺), chicken claws (凤爪), crispy durian cake (榴莲酥), roast young pigeon, steamed vermicelli rolls (肠粉), mango pudding (芒果布丁), minced pork congee with preserved egg (皮蛋瘦肉粥) and barbecued pork pastry (叉烧酥)... 28 Hubin North Road, Siming District

   Lujiang Hotel Ocean View Restaurant 鹭江宾馆观海厅: Views of the ocean and Gulangyu Island can be enjoyed from the terrace and through the restaurant’s large windows. Hong Kong and Xiamen style food. Try the Xuemeiniang wrapped with durian (榴莲雪梅娘), shrimp cake (虾饼), fried oyster (海蛎煎) and Mianxian paste (面线糊, Xiamen-style snack, the main ingredient is sweet potato powder and vermicelli). Floor 7, Lujiang Hotel, 54 Lujiang Avenue, Siming District

   Shuyou Seafood Grand Restaurant 舒友海鲜大酒楼: Fish, shrimps, crab, lobster, scallops, abalones and all kinds of fresh seafood! Try Xiamen’s n°1 delicacy, sandworm jelly (土笋冻). 97 Hubin North Road, Siming District.

2. mergency Call
   Fire: 119
   Police: 110
   Traffic alarm: 122
   Local telephone inquiry station: 114
   Emergency center: 120

3. Complaint telephone:
   Tourist complaint: 86-592-5318985
   Mayor hotline: 86-592-5053333
   Taxi complaint: 86-592-5615610
   Price supervision: 86-592-12358
   Complaint telephone of public security bureau: 86-592-2025502
   Complaint telephone of industrial and commercial bureau: 86-592-12315

Nearby Attractions

• Shuzhuang Garden
• Sunlight Rock Scenic Area
• South Putuo Temple
• Hulishan Fortress
• Jimei District in Xiamen
• Jimei University

Edited by Bella Ren/任新月