01Food District
Aiye Ancient Town
艾叶古镇
All Ages
Admission
Free entry.
Typical Visit
1.5-2.5 hours
Quick Facts
Ticket
Temporarily closed as of June 7, 2026. Standard World Geopark ticket reference: CNY 40.
Hours
Temporarily closed as of June 7, 2026. Standard schedule before closure was 08:30-17:30, with ticket sales ending at 17:00.
Transport
No metro. From Zigong Railway Station, taxi or DiDi takes about 15-20 minutes; buses such as 3, 15, and 35 serve the Dashanpu / Dinosaur Museum area.
Duration
2-3 hours after reopening
Best Time
Oct-Apr for cooler weather; avoid building a fixed day around it until tickets reopen
Visitors
All ages
How to Visit
1
Treat the closure status as the first planning item
The museum is one of Zigong's strongest attractions, but it is currently marked closed. Do not reserve a fixed morning for it until ticket sales resume.
Tip:If tickets are not available, switch the day to the Salt Industry History Museum, Shenhai Well, and China Lantern Museum.
2
Start with the fossil-site hall after reopening
This is the reason to visit: the museum is built on the Dashanpu fossil site, so you see fossils in their original excavation setting rather than only skeleton displays.
Tip:Give this hall unhurried time before moving to the newer interactive displays.
3
Use the exploration hall for context
The newer hall explains dinosaur evolution with larger displays and interactive exhibits. It works especially well for children who need more than static fossils.
Tip:Families should keep extra time here; adults focused on paleontology can move faster.
4
Use an audio guide or guided explanation
The fossil layers, species names, and excavation logic are easier to understand with narration. Without context, the main hall may look impressive but remain hard to understand.
Tip:A guide is useful here because the science is the main value of the visit.
5
Pair it with nearby stops only after the status is clear
Fantawild Dino Kingdom is nearby but needs a full amusement-park visit. Shenhai Well and the Salt Industry History Museum are better pairings if you want a culture-focused Zigong route.
Tip:Do not confuse the real fossil museum with Fantawild, which is an amusement park.
Highlights
- Original fossil burial site at Dashanpu
- One of China's major dinosaur fossil museums
- Strong choice for families after reopening
- Clear link to Zigong World Geopark
- Better with an explanation than as a quick photo stop
Insider Tips
✦Keep a backup plan because the museum is currently marked closed.
✦Use a taxi or DiDi if arriving from Zigong Railway Station with children.
✦Allow 2-3 hours after reopening instead of rushing through the fossil hall.
✦The museum and Fantawild are close but very different experiences.
✦Comfortable shoes are enough; the visit is museum-based, not a hike.
More Zigong Attractions
02Cultural Stop
Chinese Lantern Museum
中国彩灯博物馆
All Ages
Admission
Free entry with reservation.
Typical Visit
45-90 minutes
03City Guide
Zigong Colored Lantern Park
自贡彩灯公园
All Ages
Admission
Free park entry. The Chinese Lantern Museum inside is also free with reservation.
Typical Visit
30-60 minutes for the park; add 45-90 minutes for the museum
04City Guide
Fantawild Dino Kingdom
自贡方特恐龙王国
All Ages
Admission
Date-based one-day tickets. Regular adult-ticket planning number: CNY 230; selected 2026 weekend promotions have listed CNY 199.9 standard and CNY 299 for 1 adult plus 1 child.
Typical Visit
Full day
05Historic Walk
Fushun Confucian Temple
富顺文庙
All Ages
Admission
Confucian Temple CNY 30, West Lake free, combined temple-and-lake ticket CNY 40. Lower promotional prices can appear on selected ticketing dates.
Typical Visit
1.5-2.5 hours
06City Guide
Fuxi River Night Cruise
夜游釜溪
All Ages
Admission
CNY 98 adult ticket; CNY 49 student ticket; children under 1.2 m are free.
Typical Visit
About 50 minutes on the water; allow 1.5 hours with boarding