The Yuan Nationalities Museum is situated in the Dian Lake National Tourist Holiday Resort and adjacent to Yunnan Nationalities Village. Established in 1995, the museum covers a total area of 130,000 square meters with the exhibition area taking up some 30,000 square meters. The museum has been so far the biggest and is considered a first-class Chinese museum, enjoying recognition throughout Asia.

The museum, which aims to conserve and carry on the ethnic cultures of Yunnan, has amassed more than 40,000 ethnic relics of high historic, scientific and artistic values. The artifacts, including the ethnic costumes, cover an extensive range of history. The displays mainly include: ancient ethnic books, ethnic finery arts, folk arts, ethnic musical instruments, traditional production and living skills, ethnic masks, ethnic tiled talismans, and rare stones and jewels.

More than 6 million visitors (person-time) have visited the Yuan Nationalities Museum since it opened. The museum also seeks international audiences for potential cultural exchanges. The museum has held more than 80 themed exhibitions in countries and regions including France, Finland, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi’an Guangzhou and Wuhan.

Travel tips

(1)It is eight kilometers from downtown Kunming and next to the Yunnan Nationalities Museum.

(2)You can join in tours organized by travel services, go by taxi, or public bus No. A1, 135, 24, 44, or 73.

(3)Open Hour: 09:00 -17:00 each day except Monday.

(4)Nearby: Yunnan Nationalities Village, Haigeng Park (Lake Dian), West Hill.

(5)Accommodation: Hotels and inns in downtown Kunming and dozens of restaurants available in “Kunming Gu Cheng”, a newly developed area near the entrance to Yunnan Nationalities Village.

(6) The souvenirs shop is available in the museum for minority embroideries and costumes.