Save this! The ultimate guide to Lanzhou's museums
by Traveler sTales
Mar 1, 2025
🌟【Top 4 Museums You Must Visit】🌟
1️⃣ Gansu Provincial Museum (Free! Must-see)
⏰9:00-17:00 (Closed on Mondays, last entry at 16:30)
🔥Highlights:
▫️Silk Road Hall on the second floor: The real Galloping Horse (the "Horse Stepping on a Flying Swallow," forbidden from overseas exhibitions)
▫️Yuan Dynasty glass lotus-shaped stand: A national first-class cultural relic with cyberpunk colors
▫️"Postal Courier" brick painting: The earliest image of a "courier" in China
✨Hidden Gems:
① Buy the "Horse Stepping on a Flying Swallow" green horse plush toy at the gift shop (sold out online!)
② Free guided tours at 10:00/14:30, rent AR glasses with your ID as a deposit
③ Get a souvenir stamp at the post office near the exit (limited edition Galloping Horse + Lotus Stand stamps)
2️⃣ Dunhuang Art Museum (Free! An alternative to Mogao Caves)
⏰9:30-16:30 (No reservation required, scan your ID on-site)
🔥Amazing Highlights:
▫️1:1 replica of Mogao Cave 220 (Early Tang Dynasty Emperor's Portrait + Medicine Buddha Sutra Transformation)
▫️Cave 45's painted Bodhisattva statue (photography prohibited, breathtakingly beautiful)
▫️"Zhang Qian's Mission to the Western Regions" animated projection
📸Photography Tip: Take silhouette photos in Hanfu in front of the "Nine-Colored Deer" mural (best lighting at 16:00)
3️⃣ Lanzhou Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (Full of Sci-Fi Vibes)
⏰9:00-17:00 (Closed on Mondays, the rooftop observation deck is a must-visit)
💡Highlights:
▫️Travel through a century of Zhongshan Bridge in the 4D cinema (two shows daily at 10:00/15:00)
▫️Yellow River ecological sand table + holographic projection (find your home on the satellite map)
▫️360° glass observation deck on the top floor (perfect photo op with the First Bridge over the Yellow River)
4️⃣ Qinqiang Opera Museum (A Hidden Gem for Opera Lovers)
📍Inside Baitashan Park (free entry with ID)
🎭Immersive Experience:
▫️Try on century-old costumes and take photos (staff will assist with dressing)
▫️Touch Ming Dynasty opera brick carvings (the only touchable opera relics in the country)
▫️Qinqiang opera enthusiasts perform live every Saturday at 14:00
🍜【Food Near the Museums】🍜
▫️"Ma Anjun Spicy Beef Noodles" opposite the Provincial Museum (10 scoops of chili is legendary)
▫️"Lao Moujia Yak Yogurt" next to the Dunhuang Art Museum (Tibetan-style with eight treasures toppings)
▫️"Yellow River Ballad" bar next to the Planning Exhibition Hall (craft beer with a Yellow River sunset view)
💥【Things to Avoid】💥
① Book your Provincial Museum tickets 1 day in advance on their official WeChat account! On-site entry may be limited
② Flash photography is prohibited in the Dunhuang Museum, and secretly photographing artifacts will trigger an alarm
③ The wind is strong on the Planning Exhibition Hall's rooftop observation deck, so hold onto your hat
✨Lanzhou is the gilded pattern on bronzeware, the radiant colors of Mogao Caves murals, and the millennial civilization unearthed from the Yellow River's waves. Save this guide to unlock the hidden stories behind the relics—in the Provincial Museum's AR glasses, the Galloping Horse really takes flight!
(📌Ultimate Easter Egg: In the corner of the "Heavenly Horse Coming West" exhibition hall at the Provincial Museum, there's a model of the Galloping Horse from a unique side perspective, go check it out!)
Post by Traveler sTales | Mar 1, 2025
















