The museum is located at in Yuexiu District of Guangzhou and can be reached by Metro Line 2 to the Yuexiu Park (Exit E).
Note: You can download either Baidu Maps or Amap and navigate through the buttons below. You can also directly order a cab through the App. Learn more in this Guide.
Nanyue Kingdom Palace
The Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, located in Guangzhou, houses the 2,000-year-old tomb of King Zhao Mo. Opened in 1988, this museum showcases the tomb’s artifacts and was designated a Major National Historical Site in 1996. The tomb, discovered in 1983, reveals a rare assemblage of funerary artifacts representing various cultures during the Han dynasty.
Occupying 17,400 m2, the tomb is hidden 20 meters underground and features colorful murals on 750 huge stones. It contains over 1,000 pieces of cultural relics, including bronzeware and terra cotta ware, representing the Lingnan (Nanyue) Culture and other regional cultures.
Excavated by archaeologists Mai Yinghao and Huang Zhanyue, the tomb yielded artifacts such as a chariot, cooking implements, metal swords, and musical instruments. Notably, human sacrifices and a unique imperial seal belonging to “Emperor Wen” were found, indicating imperial rank.
The tomb also contains artifacts from regions like the steppes, Iran, and Central Asia, including a Persian silver box and items from the Đông Sơn culture of northern Vietnam.
One highlight is a silk-jade garment made of 2,291 pieces of jade, unique for its connection by silk thread and button style, showcasing the early development of jade garments and the Nanyue culture.
You can buy tickets in advance on trip.com or other platforms to make sure you do not need to que in line.
