Banpo Museum

The Banpo Museum is located in the eastern outskirt of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. As the first museum at the prehistoric site, it was built at the base of the excavations of the Banpo site. In 1958, it opened to the public formally.

The Banpo Site is a typical Neolithic matriarchal community of the Yangshao Culture dating back about 6,000 years. At that time, the people living here used tools made primarily of wood and stone. Women, the crucial labor force, were responsible for making pottery, spinning, and raising the family, while men fished.

The approximately 4,500 square meters (about 1 acre) exhibit area of Banpo Museum is divided into two Exhibition Halls and a Site Hall.
Banpo Site, Xi'an Excavated pottery from Banpo Ruins

Two Exhibition Halls

Water vessel in Banpo MuseumThe first Exhibition Hall, consisting of two sections, displays the unearthed relic exhibitions. The showpieces in these two sections are primarily production tools and domestic tools used by the primitive Banpo people, including axes, chisels, sickles, and stone and pottery knives from which we can have a general picture of the production activities of the people thousands of years ago. In addition, artwork and adornments here reflect the social life, culture, art and inventions of the period.

The second Exhibition Hall is primarily used for temporary exhibitions and it also contains two parts. Special shows are held here on ethnology, folklore and the history of art related to the prehistoric culture.
 

The Site Hall

The Site Hall is about 3,000 square meters (about 0.7 acre) and contains residential, pottery making and burial sections. Among the three, the residential section is the main part of the site, including the huts, kilns and tombs of the primitive residents. All these present us an outlook of the aboriginal village and the hard situations of the forefathers in pursuing the civilization, reflecting the production level and the social systems at that period of time.
 

The Banpo Matriarchal Clan Community Village

The village is an extension of the museum based on archeological findings. The entire village enriches the cultural connotation of the museum and carries forward the long and splendid history of China at the same time.
 

How to Get to Banpo Museum:

 By Bus:
1. Take bus 15, 105, 269, 289, 406 or 416 and get off at Banpo Bowuguan (Banpo Museum) Station.
2. Take bus 11, 15, 105, 169, 213, 231, 246, 270, 275, 289, 307 or 406 and get off at Banpo Hub Station. Then walk around 600 m (656 yd) towards south.

 By Metro:
Take Metro Line 1 and get off at Banpo Station. Get out from Exit A. Keep walking toward west for around 5 minutes and then turn south to walk for around 2 minutes along Banpo Road.
Xi'an Bus / Metro Search
 
Entrance Fee March to November: CNY 55
December to February: CNY 40
Children under 1.2 m (3.9 feet) or no more than 6 years old can enter for free.
Opening Hours March to November: 08:00-17:30
December to February: 08:00-17:00
Recommended Time for a Visit 2 hours

- Last updated on Sep. 20, 2023 by Gabby Li -
Questions & Answers on Banpo Museum
Asked by Sillia from UNITED KINGDOM | Jun. 12, 2019 14:02Reply
How long does it take from the Xi'an Banpo station in the art district to the Warrior site?
Thanks
Answers (1)
Answered by Ashley from USA | Jun. 12, 2019 19:35
00Reply


It takes about 1.5 hours.
Asked by Rachel from CANADA | Mar. 28, 2016 09:36Reply
Terracotta Warriors and Banpo
Is there a bus that goes from one to the other? or is it necessary to go back to the city?
Or are there taxis waiting around the Qinshihuang Mausoleum? How much would it cost if we stop at a yaodong village for a quick look, then go on to the Banpo site?

Thanks!
Answers (1)
Answered by Lydia from USA | Mar. 29, 2016 02:34
21Reply


1. Yes, you may take bus line 307 to shuttle between the two places. You needn't go back to the city center.
2. Yes, you can find taxis waiting outside the mausoleum. The fare may be around CNY 80-100.
Asked by Rosemary from USA | Feb. 14, 2015 07:09Reply
can we buy tickets early on line for Banpo Museum?
Answers (1)
Answered by Julie from USA | Feb. 14, 2015 20:19
12Reply


Its official website has no ticket reservation service, but it is fine and convenient to get a ticket on the spot.
Asked by Pala Smith from UNITED STATES | Sep. 16, 2014 15:51Reply
Does the Xi'an Banpo museum sell replicas of the clay bowls with the neolithic markings on them?
Answers (1)
Answered by Cindy from DPRK | Sep. 16, 2014 20:43
12Reply


I had been there several times, and I found no shops selling the replicas.
Asked by DALE from USA | Jun. 25, 2014 08:18Reply
Will Xi'an subway Line 1 to the Banpo Station take me directly to Banpo Museum?
if so, how long is the trip from the city center (Bell Tower)?
What is the easiest way to get to Forest of Stone Steles Museum from Banpo Museum?
Is it to TAKE LINE 1 TO NORTH STREET STATION.TRANSFER TO LINE 2 TO YONGNING GATE STATION ?
Is this the closet station To Forest of Stone Steles Museum?
How long should I allow between the 2 sites?
Answers (1)
Answered by Dorris from SINGAPORE | Jun. 26, 2014 01:54
00Reply


Almost directly. After you get of the station, you just need to walk about 600m to reach the entrance of the musuem.
It takes around 40 minutes from the Bell Tower to Banpo Station by subway.

You can walk to the Ban Po Gong Jiao Shu Niu Station to take the local public bus line 213 to Wenchangmen Station and then walk to the Stone Forest. Or just lke what you said, you can take the line 1 to north street station and change to line 2 to Yongningmen Station. Get out of the station, you can walk to pass the South Gate and then walk along the Shuncheng Lane to several meters to Stone Forest Museum.
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