About
The Jinsha Site Museum stands on the location of an ancient settlement associated with the Shu Kingdom, in the Qingyang District of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in south-west China. Its Chinese name is 金沙遗址博物馆. The museum is built directly over the archaeological remains, so a visit is as much about the ground beneath your feet as about the objects on display.
What you will see
The museum's best-known object is the golden sun bird, a thin gold disc with a design of birds circling a sun, which has become a familiar emblem of the site. Alongside it, the displays draw on the excavated material from the settlement, presented to explain how people lived and worked there.
Planning your visit
- Address: 2 Jinsha Yizhi Lu, Qingyang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610091, China
- Phone: +86-28-87303522, worth calling ahead to check current arrangements
- Best for: visitors interested in archaeology, ancient Chinese history, or the cultural background of Sichuan
Because the museum sits in the western part of the city, it suits a half-day outing that can be paired with other sights in Qingyang District. It is a calm, focused visit rather than a quick stop, and it rewards time spent reading the explanations and looking closely at the artifacts.
