Discover Guyuan: Museum History and Landscapes

The Ningxia Guyuan Museum takes visitors through more than 5,000 years of history, from the Neolithic period to the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the surrounding area, a different focus awaits: the Red Army Long March Tourist Area in the Liupan Mountains. Museum history and commemorative history are thus distinct themes to consider when planning a trip.

A Museum Spanning a Vast Timeline

The Ningxia Guyuan Museum was designated a national first-class museum in 2008 and rated a national 4A tourist attraction in 2009. It preserves nearly 20,000 cultural relics, including 123 national first-class cultural relics and three national treasures. These include a painted coffin panel from the Northern Wei dynasty, a gilt silver ewer from the Northern Zhou dynasty, and a glass bowl with raised studs.

The main exhibition, “千年固原 丝路华章” (“A Thousand Years of Guyuan: Splendours of the Silk Road”), presents 2,280 locally excavated objects. Its five sections arrange the history covered chronologically: prehistory; the pre-Qin period; the Qin and Han periods; the period from the Southern and Northern Dynasties through the Sui and Tang dynasties; and the eras from the Song, Western Xia, Jin and Yuan dynasties through the Ming and Qing dynasties. This structure makes the long timeline easier to follow without combining distinct dynasties into a single section.

Other exhibition topics focus on more specific themes. “隐形将军韩练成” (“The Invisible General Han Liancheng”) displays 117 groups of objects from Han Liancheng’s estate. The exhibition “古墓馆” (“Ancient Tombs Gallery”) features life-size reconstructions of nine local tombs dating from the Western Zhou dynasty to the Yuan dynasty. As exhibition content may change when displays are updated, check which areas are currently open before your visit.

Experience the History of the Long March

The Red Army Long March Tourist Area in the Liupan Mountains is one of China’s first 100 classic Red tourism sites. It is also a national patriotism education base and a national defense education base. An educational programme described in 2024 under the theme “六个一” (“Six Ones”) includes patriotic activities such as walking a section of the Long March and having a meal in the style of the Red Army.

Within the same tourist area, the 2.5-kilometre “红军小道” (“Red Army Trail”) leads uphill. Along the route, 18 miniature scenes depict important events from the Long March. For families planning a visit with children, the trail’s length and uphill route offer a concrete basis for deciding whether the activity suits their needs. Before visiting, check whether the educational programme is currently offered and whether the trail is accessible.

A Nearby Landscape

Yunwushan Grassland adds a nature focus near the destination to its cultural and historical themes. It was established as a grassland nature reserve covering 4,000 hectares in 1982 and designated a regional-level nature reserve in 1995. These historical details give the area a different point of reference from the exhibitions and the Long March commemorative sites.

Getting There and Choosing Accommodation

Timing matters when planning your journey, too: a notice dated 17 March 2026 announced that, with the start of the new flight schedule, a total of six flight routes to ten cities would be offered. The planned route network was to cover key regions of northern, eastern, southwestern, northwestern, central and southern China. Check current connections and flight times before travelling.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Guyuan, first consider whether the museum’s long historical timeline, the Long March activities or the nearby grassland interests you most. Then compare the location of your accommodation with how easy it is to reach the places you want to visit. This way, your initial search is guided by your travel plans rather than by an assumed proximity between the different attractions.

Discover more destinations: Wuzhong, Shizuishan, Zhongwei, Yinchuan.

Go to the main travel overview: Ningxia.