Inner Mongolia Museum 内蒙古博物院

About Inner Mongolia Museum

The reconstructed Chagannuoer dinosaur skeleton gives a dramatic introduction to the prehistoric landscape. Historical galleries then trace the communities of the northern grasslands, while a full-size Tianhe space-station core-module model connects the region with modern spaceflight. Choose two or three themes deliberately; the museum's breadth rewards a focused visit rather than rushing through every gallery.

The museum's predecessor opened on 1 May 1957, the tenth anniversary of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on a site west of Hulunbeier Road in central Hohhot. Its 15,000-square-metre building, built in Mongolian architectural style, carried a galloping-horse roof sculpture that long served as the opening image of Inner Mongolia Television, and the museum was counted among the 'new eight sights of Hohhot' (新呼和浩特八景).

A new building, a tribute project for the region's 60th anniversary, was built at the junction of East 2nd Ring Road and Xinhua East Street; it is six storeys, 287 metres long and 49.5 metres high, with a floor area of 51,350 square metres, about ten times the old museum's exhibition space. It was renamed Inner Mongolia Museum (内蒙古博物院) and formally opened on 8 August 2007.

As the largest and most important museum in Inner Mongolia, it combines history and natural-history functions, holding more than 150,000 items, including over 5,600 precious relics and 650 first-grade national relics. Its holdings include a complete woolly rhinoceros skeleton unearthed from a coal mine in Manzhouli, and nomadic Mongol items such as saddles, costumes, archery and polo equipment, and a ger.

What to look for

• The Chagannuoer dinosaur skeleton reconstruction in the prehistoric displays.
• The northern-grassland historical objects and the full-size Tianhe core-module model.

The surrounding area

Autonomous-region capital and urban base for temple streets, museums and local breakfast traditions.

Location & getting there

Getting to Inner Mongolia Museum

Use the new museum at 76 Xinhua East Street in Saihan District. Its opening notice directs metro passengers to Hohhot East Railway Station on Line 1, exit F.

• Use the museum's official reservation channel and the new address: the former museum building and the metro stop historically named Inner Mongolia Museum refer to the earlier location.