Guanzhong Folk Art Museum in Xian
Chinese Name: 西安关中民俗艺术博物馆
English Name: Guanzhong Folk Art Museum in Xian
Type: Folk Art Museum, Cultural Attraction
Best Time: All year around
Recommended Visiting Hours: one-two hours
Opening Time: Mar.to Oct.: 08:00-18:30; Nov. to next Feb.: 08:30-17:30
Basic Introduction of Guanzhong Folk Art Museum
Guanzhong Folk Art Museum is the first non-government owned museum specializing in the preservation of folk art in China. It is located in Wutai Town, Chang’an District, Xi’an, about 30 kilometers (19 mi) away from the city center of Xi’an, at the north foot of South Wutai Mountain which was a famous Buddhist shrine in the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) Dynasties and now a part of the Zhongnanshan National Forest Park. It covers an area of 493.88 acres with a planned building area of 108,000 square meters.
The buildings cover a building area of nearly 11 hectares (27 acres), while the total land area is treble that figure. The sponsor Mr. Wang Yongchao is a representative of the People’s Congress and the first enterpriser honored to enjoy the State Council’s special subsidy. He spent over 20 years dedicated to the establishment of this museum with an investment that has amounted to CNY 230 million since the middle 1980s.
Features of Guanzhong Folk Art Musuem
- Shaanxi Patriotic Education Base
- National AAAA Scenic Spot
- National Cultural Industry Demonstration Base
Museum Collections of Guanzhong Folk Art Museum
Nowadays, the museum is home to the display of an eclectic collection of more than 33,600 items since the late 1980s. Upon entering, a magnificent gateway comes first. It is the Zhao’s Gateway. The façade of the building is 15 meters (49 ft) wide and 13 meters (43 ft) high. It has a large stone gateway in the middle and two side gates. Behind the gateway building is a carved brick screen, which was a common feature of a gateway in Shaanxi architectures. First built in late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), this gateway was moved from a village in Baishui County, Weinan City.
Guangzhong Folk Art Museum houses some forty ancient residences of Ming and Qing styles moved and relocated here. Every single brick of twenty courtyards was numbered so that they could be reconstructed from being damaged or torn down. Another twenty courtyards houses were rebuilt by imitating designs. The courtyards are neatly lined up and form an old style street.
In addition, there are natural landscapes, sacrificial altar squares, artificial lakes, folk museums, exhibition halls and galleries, stages, craft workshops, research centers and heritage warehouses. The underground exhibition hall displays the calligraphy and painting works of sun yat-sen, Chiang kai-shek and his sons, jiang ching-kuo, kang youwei, yuan shi-kai and other active political figures and scholars in modern Chinese history.
Ticket Information of Guanzhong Folk Art Museum
Approved by provincial price department and local taxation department, the ticket price is 120 yuan/person. Ticket discounts will also be offered to the following special groups:
- Children under 6 years old (with relevant certificates) or under 1.2 meters tall accompanied by an adult are exempted from admission.
- Tickets are 30 yuan per person for children between 1.2 and 1.4 meters in height, the elderly over 70 years old (with longevity card), and the disabled (in wheelchair).
- The half-price ticket is 60 yuan/person for individual students from universities, middle schools and primary schools (with student ID card).
- Half-price tickets for visiting soldiers (with military certificates, etc.) are 60 yuan/person.
How to Get to Guanzhong Folk Art Musuem
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 the Guanzhong Folk Art Musuem in the fastest and most convenient way and take care of all the details. You just have to focus on the visiting.
By Bus
- Take bus No. 215, 229 or 323 from the city center to Chang’an Bus Station (or Weiqu Nan, Xizhai). Then change to bus No. 4-04 and get off at Guanzhong Minsu Bowuguan (Guanzhong Folk Art Museum) Station.
- Take bus No. 500 from Xi’an Railway Station and get off at Guanzhong Minsu Bowuguan Station.
By Metro
Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Weiqu Nan Station. Get out from Exit A. Walk north for around 4 minutes to reach Xizhai Shizi Station and change to bus No. 500 or 4-04. Get off at Guanzhong Minsu Bowuguan Station.
