Lushun Naval Weapons Museum

Lushun Naval Weapons Museum

The Lushun Naval Weapons Museum serves as a national defense education base.

The Naval Weapons Museum is situated at the northern end of Baiyu Mountain in Lushun District, Dalian City — atop Baiyu Mountain. Established in July 1988, it covers an area of over 10,000 square meters. The seven bold and striking characters “旅顺海军兵器馆” (Lushun Naval Weapons Museum), personally inscribed by Comrade Liu Huaqing, former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, shine brilliantly on the gateposts adorned with a red star and an anchor.

The site of the Lushun Naval Weapons Museum was formerly the “Baiyu Shrine,” a columbarium built by the Japanese during the later stages of the Russo-Japanese War and completed in March 1907. Its basement was used to store the ashes of 22,723 Japanese soldiers who died in the Battle of Lushun. The structure was demolished after the war. The sweeping victory of the anti-Japanese war cleared away the lingering shadows of militarism, and today the site displays some of China’s self-designed and manufactured naval weapons and equipment that demonstrate the might of the nation’s military. Among the over 600 exhibits, there are more than 1,000 items on display.

The exhibits in the museum are divided into indoor and outdoor sections. The indoor exhibits are spread across six exhibition rooms: the Underwater Weapons Exhibition Room, which mainly features various types of mines, depth charges, and mine-sweeping devices; the Ship-to-Ship Missile Exhibition Room; the Submarine Periscope Exhibition Room; the Ship Model Exhibition Room; the World Famous Firearms Exhibition Room; and the Chinese Navy Historical Uniforms Exhibition Room. Indoor displays also include precious items such as the desk and chair used by Chairman Mao Zedong when he worked aboard the Nanchang warship during his 1953 inspection of the navy, along with his inscription: “To oppose imperialist aggression, we must build a powerful navy.” Outdoor exhibits include China’s self-designed and built torpedo boats, amphibious tanks, Hongqi surface-to-air missiles, Haiying coastal defense missiles, naval helicopters, fighter jets, naval radars, as well as large-scale exhibits such as coastal artillery, shipborne guns, and anti-aircraft guns.

In May 1995, the Lushun Naval History Museum was added, covering an exhibition area of over 1,000 square meters with four exhibition halls displaying more than 1,000 large, precious historical photos, documents, and artifacts. These mainly showcase the tumultuous history of Lushun as a militarily significant town occupied by foreign powers; reflect the modern historical overview of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War; illustrate the handover of Lushun’s garrison duties between China and the Soviet Union, as well as the establishment, development, and execution of major missions by the Lushun naval forces; feature precious photos of visits by the Party, state, and Central Military Commission leaders to the Lushun troops, their care for naval development, and visits by heads of state and military delegations from friendly nations; and include photos, artifacts, and a bronze statue of An Yemin, a naval communist fighter.

Since its opening, the Naval Weapons Museum has provided a vivid and educational venue for cadres and the general public to enhance their awareness of national defense, learn about defense knowledge, and understand China’s modern history and the growth of the People’s Navy. Additionally, from the museum’s tarmac and its ancient Great Wall-style beacon tower, visitors can gaze upon the world-famous Lushun Naval Port and the surrounding natural scenery spanning dozens of square miles. Nearly 300,000 people visit the museum each year. In December 1998, it was designated as a “Liaoning Provincial National Defense Education Base” by the Provincial National Defense Education Committee. In April 2007, it was re-designated as a “Liaoning Provincial National Defense Education Base” by the provincial government.

Location: Northern Peak of Baiyu Mountain, Lushun District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province

Transportation: In Dalian, you can take bus routes such as 201 and 215 to get there.

Admission: 20 RMB