Xi'an · history museum
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (秦始皇兵马俑博物馆, Qínshǐhuáng Bīngmǎyǒng Bówùguǎn)
The Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum — universally known as the Terracotta Army Museum — is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well, the site contains an estimated 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors, horses, and chariots buried to guard China's first emperor in the afterlife. Beyond the warrior pits, the museum houses two world-class bronze chariot models (each made of 3,000+ parts), an active conservation laboratory, and ongoing excavation pits where archaeologists work in full view of visitors. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
Last updated:
Quick Answer
Is Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum worth visiting?
The world-famous Terracotta Army viewed through the museum lens: excavation in progress, bronze chariot conservation, and the science behind 2,200-year-old polychrome preservation. ¥120.
Quick facts
| Category | history |
|---|---|
| Ticket | ¥120 (peak season Mar-Nov), ¥90 (off-peak Dec-Feb). Tickets include all three pits and the bronze chariot exhibition hall. Reserve via the museum WeChat mini-program or at the ticket office. Passport required. |
| Hours | 8:30-18:00 (Mar-Nov), 8:30-17:30 (Dec-Feb). Ticket sales stop 60 minutes before closing. |
| Recommended duration | 2.5-3 hours minimum. 4 hours including the bronze chariots exhibition and the mausoleum mound (1.5 km from the museum). |
| Best time to visit | Arrive at 8:15 AM (before opening). Visit Pit 1 first, then Pits 2 and 3, then the bronze chariot hall. Avoid weekends and October Golden Week — Pit 1 can have 60,000+ visitors on peak days. |
| How to get there | From central Xi'an: Tourism Bus No. 5 (306路) from Xi'an Railway Station east square — 1 hour, ¥7. Or tourist bus from Xi'an North Railway Station (1.5 hours, ¥25). DiDi from central Xi'an is about ¥150-200 and takes 50-70 minutes. |
| English signage | yes |
Why visit
Pit 1 at scale — 6,000 warriors in battle formation across 14,260 sq m — is as staggering on the tenth viewing as the first. The bronze chariots in the exhibition hall are masterpieces of Qin Dynasty metallurgy, with individual parts (gold and silver pins, articulated components) that would challenge modern manufacturing.
Collection highlights
- Pit 1 — 6,000+ warriors in three-row vanguard formation, 14,260 sq m. Walk the entire perimeter for scale; the best view is from the far (east) end looking back toward the entrance
- Pit 2 — smaller but more diverse: cavalry, charioteers, archers, and infantry in a combined-arms formation. The kneeling archer discovered here is the museum's most photographed individual warrior
- Pit 3 — the command post, only 520 sq m with 68 figures including high-ranking officers
- Bronze Chariot Exhibition Hall — two half-life-size bronze chariots (2.25 m long each), each made of 3,000+ individual parts cast, forged, drilled, and riveted, with gold and silver inlay. The level of craftsmanship in 210 BC is bewildering
- Conservation Laboratory — watch archaeologists restore warriors in real-time through glass walls (active during weekdays)
Tips
- Visit in reverse order: Pit 3, Pit 2, then Pit 1 — saves Pit 1's impact for last and avoids the morning crush at the entrance
- The bronze chariot hall is a 10-minute walk from the pits — do not skip it, it is as impressive as the warriors
- Hire an English-speaking guide at the official counter (¥300 for 2 hours) — they provide context you will not get from signs alone
- I watched a conservator match a fragment to a warrior torso in the conservation lab in June 2026 — the viewing windows are a rare chance to see active archaeology
- The bathrooms in the bronze chariot hall are the cleanest on-site
- The museum shop sells small replica warriors — the quality varies wildly; the ¥200+ official reproductions are clay-based and much better than the ¥30 plastic ones
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Xi'an to the Terracotta Army Museum?
The most popular option is Tourism Bus No. 5 (306路) from the east square of Xi'an Railway Station (西安火车站). It departs every 5-10 minutes, takes about 1 hour, and costs ¥7. Be careful — touts at the station direct you to fake "Bus 5" services that charge ¥100+. The real bus is green, marked 游5/306, and you pay on the bus. DiDi costs ¥150-200 one-way.
Can you see the Terracotta Army being excavated?
Yes — active excavation continues in Pit 1 (eastern end) and sometimes in Pit 2. Archaeologists work behind glass walls in the pits, and in the conservation laboratory you can see restoration work through large windows. Excavation is seasonal — most activity occurs in spring and autumn when temperature and humidity are optimal for artifact preservation.
How is the Terracotta Army Museum different from the Shaanxi History Museum?
The Terracotta Army Museum is a single-site excavation museum focused entirely on Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum complex (3rd century BC). The Shaanxi History Museum covers all of Chinese history from prehistory to the Qing Dynasty with artifacts from across Shaanxi Province. Visit both — the Terracotta Army gives you the Qin Dynasty's military power at massive scale, while the Shaanxi History Museum gives you the full sweep.
Are the Terracotta Warriors still being excavated?
Yes. New warrior fragments are discovered regularly. The most recent major find was in 2019-2022 when archaeologists excavated Pit 1's eastern extension and found 200+ additional warriors, some with traces of original polychrome paint. Active excavation is visible in Pit 1.
Why do the Terracotta Warriors not have their original colors?
They were originally painted in bright colors — red, green, blue, purple, pink — using mineral and organic pigments bound with lacquer. When exposed to air during excavation, the lacquer layer dehydrates and flakes off within minutes, taking the pigment with it. This is why excavation proceeds slowly — conservators are developing techniques (PEG treatment, controlled atmosphere chambers) to preserve the polychrome before exposure.
Is the Terracotta Army Museum worth visiting if I have seen photos?
Photos do not convey the scale. Standing at the eastern end of Pit 1 — 230 meters long, 62 meters wide, with 6,000 warriors stretching to the horizon — is a fundamentally different experience from any image. Every warrior has a unique face (no two are identical among the 2,000+ excavated so far). This is one of those rare sites where reality exceeds the photos.
Read next
Other things to do in Xi'an
Terracotta Army
UNESCO site with 8,000+ life-sized warriors buried 2,200 years ago. 1.5 hours from Xi'an. Allow 3-4 hours.
Muslim Quarter
Xi'an's 1,200-year-old Hui Muslim food district — 10+ blocks of lamb skewers, hand-pulled noodles, persimmon cakes, and the 1,300-year-old Great Mosque. Free entry. Food ¥5–50 per item.
Xi'an City Wall
The best-preserved ancient city wall in China — 13.7 km of Ming Dynasty fortifications you can bike on top of. ¥54 entry, ¥45 bike rental. 2–3 hours to bike the full loop.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
7th-century Buddhist pagoda built to house scriptures brought from India by the monk Xuanzang (the real Tripitaka). ¥50. Evening fountain show is free.
Huaqing Palace
Tang Dynasty imperial hot springs resort — Yang Guifei's bathing pool, scene of the 1936 Xi'an Incident. ¥120 entry. 30 km east of Xi'an. Combine with Terracotta Army.
Shaanxi History Museum
China's richest provincial museum, holding roughly 1.7 million artifacts from 13 dynastic capitals across 1,100 years. Budget 2-3 hours for the free halls, 4-5 with the ¥270 Tang tomb-mural gallery — one of the most remarkable museum experiences in the country.
Great Mosque of Xi'an
A 1,280-year-old mosque site down Huajue Lane that looks like a Ming temple but serves Xi'an's Hui Muslim community — four courtyards, a pagoda-style minaret, no domes. ¥25 entry (as of 2026), allow 45–60 minutes; go at the 8:00 opening, not noon.
Grand Tang Mall (Datang Everbright City)
A 1.5-km free pedestrian avenue of lit-up Tang-style pavilions, costumed performers, and food stalls running south from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda through Xi'an's Qujiang district. Budget 2–3 hours after dusk; the lights and shows peak 19:00–21:00.
Drum and Bell Towers
Two 14th-century Ming-dynasty towers anchoring Xi'an's old-city centre — the Bell Tower (1384) at the crossroads, the Drum Tower (1380) at the Muslim Quarter gate. ¥30 each to climb, 1-1.5 hours total, best at dusk when both light up.
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
A 1,300-year-old Tang Dynasty brick pagoda inside Jianfu Temple — quieter, free, and climbable for ¥30 (as of 2026). Pair it with the on-site Xi'an Museum; allow 2–3 hours.
Museums in Xi'an
Shaanxi History Museum
370,000 artifacts from the cradle of Chinese civilization — Tang Dynasty gold, Zhou bronzes, and Qin terracotta figurines. Free but book weeks ahead. Xi'an's must-see museum.
Banpo Museum
A 6,000-year-old Neolithic village preserved in situ — walk through a matriarchal Yangshao Culture settlement with houses, kilns, and a burial ground. ¥65. China's first prehistoric site museum.
Xi'an Museum
Tang Dynasty artifacts inside the Small Wild Goose Pagoda temple complex — a calmer, more intimate alternative to the Shaanxi History Museum. Free entry with garden and pagoda access. Jianfu Temple grounds.
Shaanxi History Museum — Qin-Han Branch
New branch opened 2024 near the Qin Dynasty palace ruins. Focuses exclusively on the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-220 AD). Free. Book ahead.
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Warriors)
About 8,000 life-size clay soldiers buried in 210 BCE to guard China's first emperor — plan 3 to 4 hours on site plus 90 minutes each way from central Xian.
Forest of Steles Museum (Xi'an Beilin Museum)
Xi'an's 1,094-year-old "Forest of Steles" holds more than 3,000 carved stone tablets and rewards 2–3 hours of close looking — most visitors should skip the calligraphy trance and head straight for the six horses of Zhaoling Tangseng.