About
The Hubei Provincial Museum stands in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province in central China, at 156 Donghu Road in Wuchang District. It is known in Chinese as 湖北省博物馆. Visitors come for its collection of ancient Chinese musical instruments, and above all for the bronze bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng, which date from about 2,400 years ago.
What to see
- The bronze bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng, the museum's best-known objects, shown among its archaeological treasures.
- Ancient musical instruments, a wider collection that gives a sense of how music was made and heard in early China.
- Cultural performances, which pair reproductions of ancient instruments with the archaeological pieces they echo.
Planning a visit
The performances are the feature that sets this museum apart from a quiet walk past glass cases. Seeing a reproduction played close to the original objects helps the sound and the artefacts make sense together, which suits visitors interested in music history as well as archaeology.
The museum sits in Wuchang, one of the districts of Wuhan that lies on the south bank of the Yangtze River. Wuhan is a large city, so it is worth planning your route around the museum's location in Wuchang. For opening times, ticketing and the timing of performances, contact the museum directly on +86-27-8679-4127 before you travel, as these details are not listed here.
