Turpan Museum, A Glimpse into the Prosperity of the Silk Road

1268 Munar Road, Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

The architecture of the museum is very unique

4.8

Introduction

The Turpan Museum is the second largest museum in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, with a collection of relics from the heyday of the Silk Road. It not only witnesses the prosperous history of this great trade route, but also provides valuable materials for understanding Turpan's past. The most precious exhibit in the Turpan Museum is its collection of documents, which encompasses an astonishing diversity of scripts including Sogdian, Uyghur, Sanskrit, Tangut, Mongolian, and Chinese. Of particular note are the fragments of the Manichean scriptures unearthed from the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves and the handwritten copy of the Analects of Confucius with annotations by the Zheng family found in the Astana Graves (which had been lost since the Tang dynasty). The Turpan Museum is also home to the Turpan Giant Rhinoceros fossil, one of the most complete examples of its kind in the world, as well as to ten intact mummies from the Astana-Karakhoja and Subashi ancient tombs. The shamanic priest among them is particularly well-preserved, giving us a glimpse of his once-glorious appearance. Lastly, the museum has a collection of ancient prostheses and coins, which testify to the exchange of currencies among the countries along the Silk Road during its prosperity.

Address

1268 Munar Road, Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Opening hours

11:00-17:30 (all day)
last admission time: 17:30 (Tuesday-Sunday, January 1-December 31, all day)
(Monday, January 1-December 31, all day)

Transportation

Visitors can take bus No.1, 6, or 102 to get there within the city, or take a taxi for only 5 RMB.

Phone 0995-7619650;0995-7619645