Guangzhou, also known as Canton in the past, has a really long and important history. People have been living here since ancient times, even before recorded history. So, it’s not surprising that Guangzhou has a lot of different museums, showing off all kinds of interesting things.
Check out this list for an entertaining and enlightening trip to the best museums in Guangzhou.
1. Guangdong Museum 广东博物馆
The museum was designed to be one of the city’s top new buildings, like the Canton Tower down south and the Guangzhou Opera House across the way. The idea was to make Zhujiang New Town the cultural hub of the city. The museum’s design was inspired by a fancy Chinese lacquer box. Inside, it’s packed with all kinds of treasures like ceramics, woodcarvings, ink stones, and even displays about natural history.
Address: 2 Zhujiang Donglu, Zhujiang New Town. 珠江东路2号
2. Guangzhou Museum 广州博物馆
This famous five-story building in Yuexiu Park has been around since the start of the Ming dynasty. It’s also where you’ll find the Guangzhou Museum. Inside, you’ll mainly find exhibitions about recent political events and some examples of things that Guangzhou has been exporting for the past 200 years. They’ve also thrown in some stuff about natural history to keep things interesting. The museum is divided into four main areas: the Zhenhai Tower Exhibition Area, the Art Gallery Exhibition Area, the Memorial of the Anti-British Invasion of Sanyuanli People, and the Memorial of the March 29th Uprising Headquarters.
Address: Inside Yuexiu Park, No.988, Jiefang Bei Road, Yuexiu District 越秀区解放北路988号越秀公园内
3. Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King 南越王墓博物馆
The mausoleum of King Zhao Mo, discovered in China, is a really important archaeological find. It’s about 2,000 years old and holds a ton of artifacts, including the famous jade burial suit. Alongside Chinese artifacts, they’ve found some stuff from Central Asia too, like a Persian silver box, which is the earliest imported product found so far. King Zhao Mo ruled the Kingdom of Nanyue from 137 BC to 122 BC. This kingdom included parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan provinces, as well as northern Vietnam. The tomb, buried about 20 meters underground, was uncovered in 1983, and they opened a museum above it in 1988.
Address: No.867, Jiefangbei Road 解放北路867号
4. Guangdong Museum of Art 广东艺术博物馆
The Guangdong Museum of Art sits right in the middle of the Pearl River on Ersha Island. Inside, you’ll find lots of artwork depicting modern China and overseas Chinese life. There are 12 exhibition halls with a permanent collection of contemporary art, especially focusing on pieces relevant to Guangdong and China’s coastal regions. You’ll also see works by overseas Chinese artists, along with sculptures, ceramics, and other important artworks from art history. They also host visiting exhibitions showcasing pieces by famous artists from around the world.
Address: No.38 Yanyu Road, Ersha Island 二沙岛烟雨路38号
5. Pearl River-InBev International Beer Museum 珠江-英博国际啤酒博物馆
This museum is a cozy, modern spot focusing on the history of beer worldwide and in China. It takes you on a journey from the earliest days of beer-making around 5000 years ago to China’s first brewery opening in 1900, and all the way up to China’s beer culture in the 2000s.
Inside, you’ll find lots of artifacts displaying how beer-making has changed and improved over the centuries. Everything is explained in both Chinese and English, so everyone can enjoy and learn from the exhibits.
Once you’re done exploring the museum, you can head over to the small bar area. There, with your museum entrance ticket, you can enjoy unlimited free beer. It’s a great way to relax and chat with friends after learning all about the fascinating history of beer.
Address: 118 Modiesha Avenue, Xingang Dong Road 新港东路磨碟沙大街118号
6. Guangzhou Maritime Museum 广州海事博物馆
This museum is situated on the east side of the Nanhai Temple, a significant site along the Maritime Silk Road and a nationally protected cultural relic. It covers a vast area of 35,738 square meters, with the initial phase encompassing 10,000 square meters of construction.
The museum is dedicated to collecting, displaying, and researching maritime-themed collections, particularly those related to the Maritime Silk Road. It systematically gathers and exhibits cultural relics and historical data from Guangzhou’s foreign trade development over the past two thousand years. Its main objective is to showcase Guangzhou’s remarkable contributions to the Maritime Silk Road throughout history and to recreate the city’s historical role as a bustling commercial capital over the millennia.
Address: 22 Xuri Street, Miaotou, Huangpu District 黄埔区庙头旭日街22号
7. Guangzhou Railway Museum 广州地铁博物馆
The Guangzhou Railway Museum sits along the Pearl River in Guangzhou, built where the century-old Huangsha Station once stood. It’s the biggest museum of its kind in South China, boasting a collection of over 4,000 relics. These artifacts tell the story of Guangzhou’s railway development over the past century, offering a fascinating glimpse into the city’s history and its connection to the railways.
Address: No.3 and No.5, Yujiang Road, Huangsha Dadao, Liwan District 荔湾区黄沙大道誉江路3号和5号
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