Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Museum · Xi'an

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Museum · Xi'an

Lintong District, Xi'An, Shaanxi, China, 710612

Highlights

Explore the awe-inspiring Terracotta Army near Xi'an, an archaeological marvel featuring over 8,000 intricately crafted life-size sculptures from the 3rd century BC.

Lintong District, Xi'An, Shaanxi, China, 710612 Get directions

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@afar

"China's Game Of Thrones The story of the Emperor Qin reads something like Game of Thrones , with hostages, feuding brothers, wars, and the ultimate unification and creation of what we know as China today. Wanting to protect himself in the afterlife, Emperor Qin created an army of 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses made of terra-cotta. The first lineup of soldiers were said to be the "Dare to Die" soldiers as they were quick and sharp like a knife. They wore less armor than the rest of the warriors. This is one of the most massive archaeological finds on the planet and is found an hour outside of Xi’an China. Restoring the warriors was like putting together a complex puzzle— it's really amazing to see how meticulously everything was recreated."

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Raphael Mizzi

Google

A must-see for archaeology, history, and art lovers! I visited the Terracotta Warriors today, and it was absolutely incredible. The scale, detail, and historical significance make it one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. If you’re going without a tour, avoid the first guides who approach you and try to bargain for a good price. I got a 2-hour English-speaking tour for 150 yuan, which was well worth it. Highly recommend visiting this site!

Genta

Google

Visiting the Terracotta Army is a must-do in Xi’an, but honestly, it felt a bit underwhelming. There are just three main buildings to explore, and while the history is fascinating, the overall experience didn’t quite live up to the hype. After finishing the exhibits, the exit route takes you through a long stretch of outdoor malls and souvenir shops, which felt more commercialized than immersive. One thing that annoyed me was the pushy tourist guides constantly offering their services. Some were really persistent, and I had to be firm in turning them down. You don’t need them—just bring your passport and buy the ticket yourself! No need to trust these guides claiming they can "help" you. The walk to the main area was a bit long, but since it was snowing heavily, I didn’t mind at all. The cold, snowy atmosphere made everything feel magical, and it was honestly my happiest moment in Xi’an. The 1+ hour Didi ride didn’t feel worth it for the site itself, but the snow made the entire trip unforgettable!

Albert Le

Google

Highly recommend visiting the Terracotta Warriors Museum. Amazing site where excavation is still being performed to uncover more relics. Visitors can easily see the terracotta relics, which can be crowded at times. Recommend waiting for crowds to pass to access good phototaking positions. There are several museum buildings. I like the smaller buildings, relics are better preserved, and crowds are spread out. The merchandise souvenir shops are expensive. Local restaurants and food stalls outside are fun and offer good value dishes. On certain days, you should meet the owner of the land and person who first discovered the terracotta warriors.

Nerine Cummins

Google

Located at Lintong District, Xi’An, Shaanxi, China 🇨🇳. This place is fascinating. The craftsmanship and detail that went into the making of the soldiers is extraordinary. Not to mention the continued dedication to their restoration. It’s truly remarkable and a MUST to see when coming to China. It’s very popular with both locals from China and foreigners so expect there will be crowds. This is a source of great pride in China and I am humbled that I got the opportunity to see this in person. It’s amazing to learn that the excavation of the site is still being carried out to uncover more relics. As the curators uncover each new piece, they do so with brushes so as to not damage, it’s fascinating. To get good photos, maybe wait for crowds to pass. Don’t rush, take your time making your way through the exhibition, it’s a special experience, savour it. I did find in the smaller buildings the relics are better preserved and crowds are spread out more making it easier to move around and take photos. There are merchandise souvenir shops but they are a little expensive. There’s local restaurants and cafes near the museum where you can get something to eat for a reasonable price. If you go on the right day, you might get the opportunity to meet the owner of the land and person who discovered the warriors. The warriors are on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s wonderful that the curators have left the soldiers as they have found them but they are trying to restore the broken statues. They have been doing this for 46 years , approximately 1100 statues have been restored and approximately 800 still remain in wait to be restored. The details on the warriors is incredible with the muscles on the arms, ranking and armour. There is plenty of signs in English, not just Chinese. I would recommend you come by yourself, not with a guide so you can take your time. You will be approached by many guides wanting to charge very high prices to guide you through the museum. They will try to say there’s no English language signs in the museum. This is a lie, do not believe them. There’s an optical movie at the beginning of the museum for an additional fee, I recommend you pay it as it provides a great history. Well worth it. Also, be sure to bring your passport, you will need it. There are three halls in the museum. You can stay as long as you want, Hall 1 is the big one. The museum is open daily from 8.30am until 5.00pm. The sculptures depict the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art to bury the sculptures with the emperor in 210-209 BCE to protect him in the afterlife. The sculptures were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong County. The sculptures vary in height according to their rank, the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. There’s also non-military statues found including musicians, acrobats, officials and strongmen. It’s truly a remarkable collection and I absolutely loved it. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Thumbs Up!!! 👍👍👍

Sheldon S

Google

Incredible experience, probably one of the most interesting things I've ever seen. There was a optional movie to start for 70rmb per person, was definitely worth it. Provided a good history lesson before the start of the official visit. Make sure to bring a passport. I don't know if there's a real need for going on an organized tour, most the information is on Google. You can enter and stay in the 3 halls as long as you want. Hall 2 is not very interesting. Hall 1 is the big one, and hall 3 is also very interesting.

Howard “Howie Rutledge Tran” Tran

Google

This is place is amazing! The Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi'an, China is something you must see when visiting China. It's home to the famous Terracotta Army of thousands of life size clay sculptures, and is a wonder of the ancient world. It is the 3rd century BC tomb of imperial China’s first emperor. This was my 4th time visiting this active archaeological site in the last 25 years, but my kids first time and they loved it. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site includes thousands of life-sized figures, chariots, and horses. Each figure has a unique facial expression and details. The discovery of the Terracotta Army in 1974 was one of the biggest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century . The museum complex is huge and you will need a few hours to see everything. It is well-organized, with three main pits that house the warriors. The site also offers information about the construction, burial practices, and the history of the Qin Dynasty. The museum can get crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons. We went in late November on a weekday, and while it was busy the crowds weren’t overwhelming.

Achel T

Google

It is amazing and magnificent, we gotten a local guide that speaks English but we could understand her better in mandarin. I feel we could do without guide because there is explanation board in both Chinese and English. Also the guide seems to rush us through and skip some artifacts. We spend almost a half a day to complete the terracotta pits and Qinshihuang’s Mausoleums.

Daniel Borg Said (Dias)

Google

Lots of fun. Memorable experience and learned a lot. Had no idea idea that most if not all of the warriors were found destroyed since the ceiling had caved in and we're later reconstructed piece by piece! Also had no idea that there are a lot more that are still buried and left like that on purpose with the hope that eventually we will have the technology to unearth them without losing their color within a few minutes. We met with the farmer who found them and took a few photos. He's very nice.