Plan at a glance
Explore farming in northwest China through tools and crops
The Northwest Farming Museum is devoted to agricultural culture. Its exhibitions trace changes in farming and daily life in northwest China through farm tools and crops. They cover Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, and suit visitors interested in agricultural history, production tools, and local life.
“Soul of Farming” (《农耕之魂》) was formerly presented as a long-running exhibition. Call ahead to ask whether it is still open. Allow about 30–45 minutes for an overview and the main displays, or about an hour if you want to read the labels and compare tools and crops at a slower pace. The visit depends on which galleries are open that day.
Opening hours are listed in two different ways
Published schedules differ: one gives hours of 9:00 am–noon and 2:30–5:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, with the museum closed on Mondays; another lists 9:00 am–5:00 pm. Call ahead to check the day’s hours, especially whether the museum closes at midday.
Free entry; ask about reservations
Trip.com’s English page lists free entry, while its visitor Q&A says a reservation is required. Confirm with the museum whether a reservation is needed and how to make one; also ask whether you need to show ID. Call 0954-2864185 before your visit.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
Follow the farming timeline
Follow the story of farming across the five regions represented here: Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. Exhibition themes have ranged from early farming and the pre-Qin period through the Qin and Han, Sui and Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and into modern times. Use this broad timeline to see how tools and crops changed; gallery layouts may vary, so follow the signs for what is open today.
Understand farming through the tools
Compare each tool’s shape and label with the farming task it was made for, then look at nearby displays about crops or everyday life. Check the labels for each object's name, date, and use, where that information is available.
Look for farm crafts and crops
If these themes are on view, look for changes in farm vehicles and the many crafts and jobs connected with agriculture. Notice how tools supported cultivation, transport, and daily work, and follow the labels for details about the objects in the galleries.
Use the labels as a starting point for a family visit
Visitors interested in farming history and rural life can follow signs between displays on production tools, crops, and agricultural life. With children, use the labels to talk about what an object was used for and which part of farm work it supported. View objects and specimens without touching them, and follow the museum’s rules.
Build your day
30–45 minutes: Start with the overview, then see tools and crops
Read the exhibition introduction, then follow the signs through displays on production tools, crops, and agricultural development. If a gallery is closed, skip it and continue along the open route.
About 1 hour: Read the labels by theme
Begin with the introduction to farming in northwest China, then follow the open route through displays on different historical periods, production tools, agricultural crafts, and crops. The gallery sequence may change, so follow the signs for the current visitor route.
Get there
Navigate to the Northwest Farming Museum
Search for “西北农耕博物馆” (“Northwest Farming Museum”) on your map. It is near the intersection of Beijing Road and Bayi Road in Yuanzhou District. Public listings give different street numbers, so confirm the entrance by the museum signs when you arrive rather than relying on a single street number.
Call to confirm the day’s arrangements
Call 0954-2864185 to ask whether the museum is open that day, whether it closes at midday, and whether the displays you want to see are on view.
Know before you go
Ask ahead if you have a particular display in mind
Current displays, temporary exhibitions, and educational activities may change. If you have a particular tool or exhibit in mind, call the museum before setting out. Once there, follow the route and labels provided on site.