Nanjing Museum

The museum itself is fine but the ticketing process is insane. My Chinese wife bought me a ticket in advance and we waited in the long line like everybody else. But when we got to the entry, the guard stopped me and made my wife go stand in a different long line with my passport while I had to stay in the front of the original line directly in everyone's way (there was nowhere else to go and it's what the guard told me to do). For someone with severe anxiety like myself, this was a nightmare for me. I already had a ticket, China often makes things intentionally difficult for foreigners and it is incredibly frustrating because I didn't do anything wrong. The exhibits are good but there is very little information about them, even in Chinese (and even less in English). They really on the audio guide (20 RMB) to provide context, but it is very quiet so with how loud the crowds are, it is almost inaudible. Oh and the crowds here are awful, even on weekdays. On weekends or public holidays, forget about even trying to get in.

One of the best museums in China! Nanjing Museum is rich in history, culture, and art, offering a deep dive into China’s past. The exhibits are well-organized, featuring ancient artifacts, traditional paintings, and interactive displays. The architecture itself is impressive, blending classic and modern styles. Best of all, entry is free! A must-visit for history lovers and anyone exploring Nanjing.

Big museum for understanding 江南 history, there are a lot of historical relics.

Free to enter but must pre-book entry tickets via their mini app in Wechat. Tickets are open 1 week prior at 6pm. They have a free guided tour, capped at 30pax, that starts at 10am (or 2pm), ear pieces are given out 20 mins prior. As foreigners, we had to go to the ticket counter in the History Hall 历史馆 to exchange for a physical ticket. We were there by 930am but by then the queue for the free tour was already quite long, in fact we missed the 10am tour by 4 persons. Luckily that day they had another one at 1030am. You can also opt to pay RMB150 per pax for a private guide or RMB30 to rent a pre-recorded audio guide. But my preference is always for a live guide. This is the first of 2 博物院 (instead of 博物馆) in China, covering 6 halls, consisting 18 pieces of 镇院之宝, with the prime spot going to the 金兽 (Golden Creature), exhibited exclusively in the Special Exhibit Hall. The 1.5 hours tour took us through only the History Hall 历史馆 and for most of it, we could only hear but not really see as the crowd was too crazy. Most of the time I could only see the item after the guide has finished the narrative and on the move to the next stop. It was made worse by 'free-riders' who didn't join the queue for the free tour and was just sticking close to the guide to listen in, thereby blocking our view. The History Hall is the largest and even the 1.5 hr tour couldn't bring us through everything here. It would have been a more enjoyable experience with lesser crowd, but I really don't think that's ever possible in China given that I was there on a supposedly low season, week-day morning. Nonetheless, still highly recommended as a must-visit place in Nanjing.

An interesting places which contains a huge historical things and history. That's so interesting if you can understand as it's mostly in Chinese. My friend told me the English version can't describe the same meaning as the Chinese ver. They also have headset to hear the explanation. And a lot people come there to see things. Make sure to bring your passport or ID card or at least register it in advance. If not might take some more time to register. Free fee.

A great number of cultural relics. Popular and terribly crowded, even near closing time. Has an interesting recreation of old Nanjing underneath the museum, which is somewhat touristy. Good for souvenirs.

What an amazing experience. This museum is extremely diverse. It has exhibits ranging from art and ancient historical artifacts to having a tea house with live performances and recreating a typical street from the 50s lined with actual shops. Those ranged from gift shops, calligraphy artist, candy makers and cafes. It almost felt like a theme park. I spent nearly 4 hours there. There's so much to see so make sure you plan accordingly.

The museum has many, many exhibits that are all quite interesting. I recommend getting the English audio tour for 20RMB. The English is very proper and it provides a lot of insight into the museum pieces. The museum was quite busy, so expect to be shuffling around other people during peak hours. An important note for foreigners, is that to gain entry to the museum you must first show your passport at the "Service Center", which is a large building on the left when entering through the main gate.