China
15 Best Museums in China
Palace Museum leads, and the rest of China's best museums follow, ranked by real visits.
Ranked by traveler review volume across 1396 tracked places in China. Updated monthly.
Palace Museum
Museum · BeijingThe Palace Museum is not just a building but a treasure trove of Chinese civilization, with over 1.8 million artifacts, including paintings, ceramics, jade, and bronze.
Read our full guide →Forbidden City-The Palace Museum
Museum · BeijingThe Forbidden City is the vast imperial palace at the heart of Beijing, the largest surviving palace complex in the world, with nearly a thousand buildings arranged along a strict north–south axis…
Read our full guide →Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
Museum · ShanghaiThe Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum commemorates the more than 20,000 European Jews who fled Nazi persecution and found refuge in Shanghai during World War II.
Read our full guide →The Pier-2 Art Centre
Museum · YanchengFree entryThe Pier-2 Art Centre is a dynamic cultural hub located in the Yancheng District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Read our full guide →Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
Museum · NanjingThe Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders is a poignant tribute to the estimated 300,000 civilians and soldiers killed during the six-week massacre in 1937.
Read our full guide →National Museum of China
Museum · BeijingThe National Museum of China is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square. It is one of the largest museums in the world, with a collection spanning 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
Read our full guide →Liaoning Provincial Museum
Museum · ShenyangFree entryThe Liaoning Provincial Museum in Shenyang is a major museum of history and fine arts.
Read our full guide →Shenyang Imperial Palace (Gu Gong)
Museum · ShenyangThe Shenyang Imperial Palace, also known as the Mukden Palace, is a sprawling complex that served as the early seat of the Qing dynasty before the emperors relocated to Beijing.
Read our full guide →Qingdao Beer Museum
Museum · QingdaoThe Qingdao Beer Museum is a must-visit for anyone curious about one of China's most famous exports.
Read our full guide →Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre
Museum · ShanghaiTucked away on the seventh floor of an office building in Changning district, the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is a hidden gem for history buffs and art lovers alike.
Read our full guide →Shandong Museum
Museum · JinanThe Shandong Museum is one of China's largest provincial museums, offering a deep dive into the region's 5,000-year history.
Read our full guide →Wuhou Memorial Temple
Museum · ChengduWuhou Memorial Temple, also known as the Temple of Marquis Wu, is a museum and shrine honoring Zhuge Liang, the legendary chancellor and military strategist of the Shu Han state during the Three…
Read our full guide →Du Fu Thatched Cottage
Museum · ChengduDu Fu Thatched Cottage is a serene museum and park in Chengdu honoring the life and works of Du Fu, one of China's greatest poets.
Read our full guide →Shanghai Development Exhibition Hall
Museum · ShanghaiFree entryThe Shanghai Development Exhibition Hall offers a fascinating look at the city's transformation from a fishing village to a global metropolis.
Read our full guide →Zhang Garden
Museum · TianjinZhang Garden is a European-style building in Tianjin, originally built in the 1930s as a Japanese garrison.
Read our full guide →
Good to know
What is the best-known of the museums in China?
Palace Museum in Beijing is the most reviewed, with 14,294 traveler reviews and a 4.4 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.
Which of China's museums is worth going out of your way for?
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing rates highest at 4.6 out of 5 across 1,101 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.
Which city in China has the most museums?
Beijing, with 3 on this list, ahead of Shanghai on 3. The list spans 9 cities in total, capped at three per city so one big city cannot crowd out the rest of the country.
Are any of these museums free to visit?
Yes, 3: The Pier-2 Art Centre, Liaoning Provincial Museum, Shanghai Development Exhibition Hall. That is based on each place's own visiting information, not an assumption about the category.
How is this list of museums ranked?
By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time, drawn from 1,396 tracked places in China. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.
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