Museums and galleries in Shenyang

Museums and galleries in Shenyang

1. See

   9.18 Memorial Museum

   “九•一八”历史博物馆, 9.18 History Museum

   At 22:30 on 18 September 1931, a bomb exploded beside the Japanese-run railway line near Shenyang. Though instigated by the Japanese, the Chinese were blamed for the event giving the Japanese an excuse to invade and occupy the whole of the northeast of China. Shenyang was the epicenter of that invasion, so it is most appropriate that the museum for the Mukden Incident, known in China as the '9.18 Incident', is in Shenyang next to the spot where the explosion occurred. The museum, as one would expect, depicts the incident from a Chinese perspective. It is not for the faint of heart because it unflinchingly displays the atrocities of war. Only the main descriptions are available in English, but it's enough to follow the course of events. The pictures and exhibits speak for themselves, anyway.

   Summer: 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Winter: 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays·Free

2. See

   China Museum of Industry

   中国工业博物馆. Formerly known as the China Foundry Museum 中国铸造博物馆 and previously as the Shenyang Foundry Museum 沈阳铸造博物馆

   Tells the story of the industrialisation of China. The museum is built on the site of an old foundry, which has been largely preserved in its original state.

   Tue-Sun 09:00-16:00·Free

3. See

   Former Site of Shenyang Military Tribunal for the Trial of Japanese War Criminals

   中国审判日本战犯法庭旧址陈列馆

   36 Japanese war criminals were publicly tried and prosecuted at this site between June 9th and July 20th, 1956. The site is now a museum.

   09:00-17:00 (summer), 09:00-16:30 (winter), no entry in last 30 minutes, closed on Mondays·Free

4. See

   Former residence of Zhang Xueliang

   Marshal Zhang's Mansion 张氏篩府

   This was the home of Zhang Zuolin and his son Zhang Xueliang during the end years of the Qing dynasty and the beginning of the Republic. Zhang became, with the fall of the Qing Emperor, the warlord in control of the northeast of China, and for a short time was proclaimed president of China.

   ¥50 as of December 2014 and also includes entries to Zhao Yi Di House next door and the Financial Museum

5. See

   Liaoning Provincial Museum

   辽宁省博物馆

   A high-quality museum featuring Liaoning history from the stone age to the Qing dynasty, with many relics of China's past found in the area (3rd floor). Also houses large collections of Chinese traditional art and calligraphy, plus temporary exhibitions. There may be queues to enter during main public holidays.

   April to October: Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:00. November to March: Tue-Sun 09:30-16:30, no entry after 15:30·Free

6. See

   Paleontological Museum of Liaoning

   辽宁古生物博物馆

   Claims to be the largest paleontological museum in China. Maintains a huge collection of fossils.

   09:30-16:00, no entry after 15:30, closed on Mondays and Thursdays·Free

7. See

   Shen-Air Museum

   沈飞航空博览园

   Beiling Airport is the site where China produced its first modern jet aircraft in the early 1950s. The first ones were copies of Soviet MIG fighters but gradually Chinese designs were developed. A strong focus is placed on comparing Chinese and American aircraft, in particular those involved in the Korean War of the 1950s. They also tell the history of Chinese missile development and other technologies. Civilian aircraft were also produced here and feature in the exhibits. The tour finishes with the modern J-11 fighter, China's new passenger aircraft (ACAC ARJ21 Xiangfeng or Flying Phoenix) and Chinese space flights. This is an AAAA-rated site on China's national tourist scale.

   08:30-16:30, closed on Mondays·¥30

8. See

   Shenyang Railway Museum

   沈阳铁路陈列馆

   Housing 15 historical locomotives and 3 duplicated historical locomotives. It is the biggest steam locomotive museum in China.

   09:00-16:00, closed on Mondays·¥80

9. See

   Shenyang World War II Allied Prisoners Camp Site Museum

   二战盟军战俘集中营旧址陈列馆

   From 1942 to 1945, around 1500 soldiers from six different countries were interned by the Japanese at this POW camp in Shenyang. The site is now a museum. Information is provided in both Chinese and English.

   08:30-16:30, closed on Mondays·Free

10. See

    The old Longkou Wine Museum

    老龙口 laolongkou

    A small museum beside the Laolongkou distillery tells the history of Baiju production on the site which dates to the early 17th century. The display includes old maps and photographs of the area. Equipment used in the wine production and a collection of old bottles, labels and trademarks used by the company.

    Free

11. See

    Xinle Ancient Ruins Museum

    沈阳新乐遗址博物馆, Xinle Site Museum

    On this location were found the remains of a 7000-year old, stone age, village. A museum now houses the archaeological finds and the village has been reconstructed. The site is in two sections. The ticket office is on the north side of the road. You will then be directed across to the museum on the south side to view the display before returning to the north side again to enter the reconstruction area. Displays are labelled in Chinese and English and the site is rated AAA on China's national tourist scale.

    May 1st to October 14th: 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30. October 15th to April 30th: 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00·¥20

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Shenyang (CC BY-SA 4.0).