Plan at a glance
Tickets and reservations
The museum is at Wangjiafeng Village in Yingze District, at the junction of Nanshifang Street and Dongfeng Road. The site uses one shared entrance. From September 1, 2026, a full ticket costs CNY 35 per person per visit and a half-price ticket costs CNY 17.50. Children aged 6 or under, children no taller than 1.2 metres, visitors aged 60 or above and other eligible visitors enter free with valid documents. Children aged 6–18 and full-time undergraduate students or below pay half price with the required documents.
Make a real-name reservation through the “Taiyuan Northern Qi Mural Museum” WeChat account, or buy a ticket and register on site. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:30. It is closed on Mondays except public holidays. Advance booking is a safer choice on holidays and high-traffic days.
Small in scale, but allow time for a guide
The museum occupies one floor. Allow 1–1.5 hours for a quick visit to the three galleries, or 2–3 hours if you add VR, guiding and the cultural-products area. The building is kept at a stable temperature, so a light layer can be useful even in summer. The main experience lies in the tomb passage and mural details; walking through quickly makes it easy to miss the explanations.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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The original Xu Xianxiu Tomb
In Gallery 2, “Yiyan Qiannian (一眼千年; A Glimpse Across a Thousand Years)”, you can see the original Xu Xianxiu Tomb through glass. The tomb passage is more than 1,400 years old, and the murals cover over 300 square metres. This is the museum's main area for lingering: look at the spatial form of the passage first, then return to read the mural and burial information. The original-site display is distinct from the ordinary streets of the ancient town.
The “Mounted Journey” and “Ascension” murals
The chestnut horse in the “Mounted Journey” from the Lou Rui Tomb is often nicknamed the “Mona Lisa Horse”; its gaze appears to shift as you view it from different angles. The “Ascension” from the Jiuyuangang Tomb depicts deities including the Wind God and Thunder God, and rewards slower attention to its lines and composition. The two works come from different tombs, and their display positions follow the day's museum information.
Glass walkway and VR
The glass walkway at the tomb-passage entrance is useful for photographing depth, but follow the museum's photography instructions in the dim light. After Gallery 2, ask about the VR experience: it offers a 720-degree immersive view of mural details inside the burial chamber. Equipment numbers, fees and operating times may change, so VR is not a fixed activity available at any moment to every visitor.
For the wider archaeological context, see Jinyang Ancient City Ruins.
Build your day
The 1–1.5-hour short route
Enter through the shared entrance and visit Gallery 1, “Biedu Huacai (别都华彩)”, Gallery 2, “Yiyan Qiannian (一眼千年)”, and Gallery 3, “Jianyi Biaomei (简易标美)”, in order. Make Gallery 2 the main stop, focusing on the original Xu Xianxiu Tomb, then finish near the exit. If 16:30 is approaching, do not delay entry for photographs.
The 2–3-hour deeper route
First complete all three galleries, then return to Gallery 2 or ask at the service desk about VR. If it is operating that day, allow another 20–30 minutes. Finish in the cultural-products area near the exit for a stamp or rest. If a public guided tour is available, sign up before Gallery 1 so that you do not have to walk back against the route after the tour.
Choosing a guide
The reference fee for a public guided tour is about CNY 6 per person, while an audio guide is about CNY 20. Longer 2.5–3-hour tours may also be offered. Fees, content and time slots can change. For a first mural visit, ask the service desk about the shorter museum-guided tour, then decide whether a longer group suits your interests.
Get there
Bus and ride-hailing
For a first visit, ride-hailing directly to “Taiyuan Northern Qi Mural Museum” is the simplest option. By bus, take Route 3, 9, 809 or 861 to the “Yingchun Street” stop and walk from there. Confirm the actual walking distance and route before leaving. Donghu Vinegar Garden's entrance and opening arrangements do not apply to this museum.
Driving
Drivers can navigate to “Taiyuan Northern Qi Mural Museum”; parking inside the grounds is free. The parking entrance can become congested during holiday peaks, so arriving early helps. After parking, enter through the shared entrance; the parking area and tomb-passage entrance are separate points.
Know before you go
Photography restrictions
Flash, tripods and touching exhibits are strictly prohibited inside the museum. Follow the signs when photographing the glass walkway, murals and tomb passage, and do not press against the glass or cross the barriers. Works such as the “Mona Lisa Horse” can be viewed from different positions without approaching the cases.
Queues, weather and supplies
Visitor numbers are usually lower around opening time. The galleries are kept at a stable temperature, so a light layer is more comfortable in summer. Food options inside are limited. After the museum, Bell Tower Street and Food Street can serve as a city-centre meal or evening stop, but their shop hours and transport need to be arranged separately.