Xinjiang Silk Road Museum
Xinjiang Silk Road Museum is located at No. 160 Shengli Road in the prosperous business center of Urumqi, close to the famous ethnic shopping and tour center -International Grand Bazaar. It is the only provincial museum to receive national approval for its unique theme, which focuses on Chinese civilization on the Silk Road and local ethnic cultures. Open to public in 2005, the museum encompasses an area of 7080 square meters over six floors. The Silk Road, an interlinking trade route across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa, played an important role in the development of the civilizations of Eurasia. The ancient road started from Chang'an, an ancient capital of China (now Xi'an), and ended on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, with nearly half of it running across Xinjiang. Thus, it is not surprising that many historical artifacts were excavated from Xinjiang.
The museum mainly consists of four sections; they are historical section, nationality section, pastoral arts section, jade section. Pieces of art and artifacts from the Khitan Kingdom, the Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, some silk art and even some rock paintings are displayed here. People who visit the Silk Road Museum will gain a unique insight into the ancient civilizations of the Central Plains, understand the precious pasture culture of the area, and appreciate the charm of ancient Western Region during the Han and Tang Dynasty through the excellently exhibited artifacts.
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