Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum 甘肃简牍博物馆

About Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum

Wood and bamboo records preserve accounts, correspondence and administrative traces from the northwestern frontier. The galleries move from the making and discovery of slips to Silk Road connections, borderland households and calligraphy. A personal letter or supply record can be as revealing as an official document, making this a useful complement to Gansu’s forts and cave sites.

The museum was established on 12 December 2012. Its predecessor was the Han Slips Research Office (汉简整理研究室) of the Gansu Provincial Museum, renamed the Han Slips Research Office (汉简研究室) of the Gansu Institute of Archaeology in 1986, the Gansu Bamboo Slip Conservation and Research Center (甘肃简牍保护研究中心) in 2007, and given its present name in 2012. It is currently the only provincial-level bamboo-slip museum in China.

The museum's collection totals 50,129 items, including more than 39,465 bamboo and wood slips. Since it has lacked a dedicated building, construction of a new museum began on 24 September 2019 on Machang Cultural Island in Lanzhou's Qilihe District, covering a site of 48.6 mu (亩) with a total floor area of 37,900 square meters; its opening was originally planned for 2021, so check the current opening arrangements before you visit.

What to look for

• The physical forms and written records of excavated wood and bamboo slips.
• The Borderland Households gallery’s account of everyday frontier life.

The surrounding area

Riverbank walks, beef noodles and tea culture make a useful beginning or ending to a provincial route.

Location & getting there

Getting to Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum

Go to 12 Yintan South Road on Matan Cultural Island, east of Lanzhou Old Street. The museum identifies Matan station on Metro Line 1 as an approach point. Reserve through the official museum channel and follow the instructions for the main visitor entrance.