The hardest museum in China to get in

#freemuseumdays

The Shaanxi History Museum is one of Xi’an’s most iconic museums, showcasing artifacts from prehistoric times through the Tang and Song dynasties. Though the front and overall architecture is completely lacklustre, the collection of ancient artifacts was eye opening. This single museum alone should be tell you 80% of Chinese history. The visual presentation of the artifacts in many exhibition halls are also appealing.

But the downside is that it’s incredibly popular, and tickets can be hard to get—although the ticket is free. Coz the building is old and small, it can only accommodate 12000 persons /day, which is not a big number to most mega museums in the world.

Even if you managed to get a slot, the visiting experience could be affected by crowdedness—you literally have to squeeze through people at times.

If you can’t get a ticket, the nearby Xi’an Museum is a great alternative with much easier access.

Post by Shih Yuin Chew | Jun 7, 2025