The Guangzhou Municipal Museum (广州市博物馆) is located in Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, with a total building area of 7,600 square meters. Established in 1929, it is one of the earliest museums in China, initially opening to the public on February 11 of that year. Throughout its history, the museum has undergone several name changes, becoming the Guangzhou Municipal Museum in 1950.
As of the end of 2019, the museum houses an impressive collection of 43,767 artifacts, including 1,067 classified as precious cultural relics. The museum’s main site is the Zhenhai Tower, a historic building constructed in 1380 during the Ming Dynasty. With over 600 years of history, Zhenhai Tower is an iconic structure in Guangzhou, often referred to as “the First Tower South of the Five Ridges.”
In addition to the Zhenhai Tower exhibition area, the Guangzhou Municipal Museum operates three branch exhibition spaces: the Guangzhou Art Museum, the Sanyuanli People’s Anti-British Memorial Hall, and the 3·29 Uprising Command Post Memorial Hall. The museum offers visitors a glimpse into Guangzhou’s rich history and cultural heritage through these diverse and carefully curated exhibits.
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Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 10 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 18.00; Closed on Mondays |
| Telephone Number | 0086-020-83545253 0086-020-83550627 |
Location and Transportation
The Guangzhou Municipal Museum is located at 99 Zhenhai Road, in Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Highlights of Guangzhou Municipal Museum
Zhenhai Tower Exhibition Area
The Zhenhai Tower Exhibition Area is located in the scenic Yuexiu Park, housed in the historic Zhenhai Tower and its surrounding buildings. Zhenhai Tower, also known as “Wanghai Tower,” is colloquially referred to as the “Five-Story Tower” due to its height. It was first built in 1380 during the Ming Dynasty by General Zhu Liangzu, who expanded the city by merging three Song Dynasty cities and constructing walls that spanned northern Yuexiu Mountain. Zhenhai Tower stands at the highest point, offering panoramic views of Guangzhou.
Inside Zhenhai Tower, the permanent exhibition titled “City Icon · City History” is displayed, divided into six sections. As visitors ascend the tower, they can explore the rich and deep history of Guangzhou, one floor at a time. The first floor serves as an introductory hall, showcasing Guangzhou’s urban transformation and cultural spirit. The second floor features exhibits covering the history from the Pre-Qin period to the Han Dynasty, while the third floor presents the history of the Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Song-Yuan dynasties. The fourth floor highlights Guangzhou’s history during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the fifth floor focuses on the city’s modern and contemporary history.
Zhongyuan Tower Exhibition Area
The Zhongyuan Tower Exhibition Area is located on the east side of Zhenhai Road. The central building is the Zhongyuan Library, constructed to commemorate the revolutionary leader Deng Zhongyuan. The architecture combines Western and Chinese decorative styles, with the foundation laid in 1929 and completed the following year. In 1957, the Guangzhou Art Museum was established in this building. This exhibition area features two main thematic exhibits. The first, titled “Treasures of Maritime Trade – Guangzhou Export Art from the 18th to Early 20th Century,” showcases traditional crafts such as ivory carvings, embroidery, silk weaving, Cantonese porcelain, and paintings that reflect the flourishing history of Guangzhou’s foreign trade during the Qing Dynasty. The second exhibit, “Earth History and Evolution of Life,” displays rare specimens, including meteorites, minerals, and fossils, providing insights into the formation and development of the Earth and the evolution of life.
Sanyuanli People’s Anti-British Struggle Memorial Museum
The Sanyuanli People’s Anti-British Struggle Memorial Museum is located at 34 Guangyuan Middle Road in Guangzhou. The museum is housed in the historic Sanyuan Ancient Temple, originally a temple dedicated to the Northern Emperor. The site covers approximately 1,025 square meters, with a building area of 446 square meters. Its architecture features blue brick foundations and a gabled roof, adorned with grey sculptures and decorative ridge tiles shaped like mythical sea creatures. The temple’s front porch and interior walls are decorated with murals and patterns, including scenes from the “Commentary on the Classic of Changes.”
The tranquility of Sanyuanli village was shattered by the gunfire of the Opium War over 150 years ago. When the British invasion forces began to disturb the village, the local residents united in a fierce resistance, inflicting casualties on the British troops. They convened at the Sanyuan Ancient Temple to strategize their anti-British efforts, rallying support from 103 nearby villages. This led to the historic Battle of Niulanggang, which brought widespread recognition to this small temple built in the early Qing Dynasty.
3·29 Uprising Command Post Memorial Hall
The Memorial Museum of the Command Center of the March 29 Uprising is situated at 5 Xiaodongying, Yuehua Road. This impressive building, constructed from blue bricks, showcases traditional Lingnan residential architecture. Facing south, it covers an area of 444 square meters and was originally the residence of an official during the Qing Dynasty, known as “Chaoyidi.” Despite changing ownership several times, the building has retained its original layout, featuring a courtyard with four entrances and three open rooms, along with a single story and sloped tiled roofs. Upon entering through the traditional wooden door, visitors can see that each section of the courtyard is separated by a sky well, and the wooden screen doors exhibit simple yet elegant carvings.
