The Turpan Museum holds approximately 5,000 artifacts that trace the history of the oasis and Turpan basin, at the crossroads of the Silk Road. Xinjiang's second-largest museum after Urumqi's, it occupies a modern 9,000 m² building in the heart of the city and is free to visit.

Why visit the Turpan Museum

The museum offers a condensed overview of several millennia of regional history, with three major highlights: remains of Turpan's ancient civilization, a mummy chamber featuring specimens from neighboring necropolises, and a giant rhinoceros fossil from the Oligocene-Miocene era. For those preparing to visit the region's archaeological sites (Jiaohe, Gaochang, Astana tombs), the museum provides a useful introduction, in just a few hours, to the cultures that succeeded one another in the basin.

Admission is free, the building is air-conditioned, and the main display cases feature labels in Chinese and English. It's a worthwhile stop on scorching days, when desert heat discourages outdoor exploration.

Museum history

The Turpan Museum was built in 1989 on Gaochang Street. In 2006, as part of an urban development plan, it was relocated to 1268 Munaer Street in a modern two-story building whose architecture draws inspiration from traditional local forms. The move included expanded exhibition spaces and more didactic presentation of the collections.

What to see in the collections

Turpan's ancient history

The main gallery brings together artifacts from excavations of the Turpan basin: inscriptions and documents in rare languages (Sogdian, Old Uyghur, Chinese), gold and silver coins, paintings, silk textiles, and numerous wooden and terracotta figurines. These objects reflect the diversity of peoples who occupied the oasis under various Chinese dynasties and testify to Turpan's commercial and cultural role on the Silk Road.

The mummy chamber

The museum preserves nine mummies in total, exhumed from the necropolises of Astana, Gaochang, Jiaohe, and Karakhoja. Among them is a local couple and the mummy known as the "Shaman Sorcerer." The extreme aridity of Turpan's climate enabled remarkable preservation of the bodies, clothing, and associated funerary objects. Labels clarify the discovery contexts and cultural affiliation of the deceased.

The giant rhinoceros fossil

The fossil chamber displays a reconstructed skeleton of Paraceratherium (also called Indricotherium), a hornless rhinoceros from the Oligocene-Miocene era: 5 meters at the shoulder and 9 meters in length, making it one of the largest terrestrial mammals ever to inhabit these lands. The fossil was uncovered during paleontological excavations in the Turpan basin.

Practical information

• Address: 1268 Munaer Street, Turpan, Xinjiang.
• Admission: free (presentation of ID or passport generally required at reception).
• Hours: open during daytime, typically closed one day per week. Check current hours on-site or with your accommodation before visiting.
• Duration: allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours to explore the three main galleries.
• Good to know: large bags must be left at the cloakroom; photography without flash is permitted in most rooms.

How to get there

The museum is located east of Turpan's city center, about 15-20 minutes' walk from the central bazaar. From downtown, city buses on lines 5, 6, and 202 serve the museum. A taxi ride remains inexpensive and offers a practical alternative on extremely hot days.

Combine with nearby attractions

A visit to the museum fits naturally into a broader itinerary around Turpan and its archaeological sites. Nearby, you can extend your exploration with:

• The Emin Minaret, China's tallest minaret, just kilometers from the city center.
• Aiding Lake, one of the lowest points on Earth, south of the oasis.
• The Mogao Caves, a major Silk Road stop on the Gansu side, for those continuing their journey eastward.

Frequently asked questions

Incorporate the museum into your trip

The Turpan Museum naturally fits into an itinerary combining Xinjiang's oases, archaeological sites in the basin, and Silk Road stops. To build a customized stay including Turpan and its surroundings, explore our journeys in Chine.