Kenli Museum

Kenli Museum

Kenli Museum is a comprehensive regional museum located on the third and fourth floors of Block A in the Kenli County Mass Culture Center. Established in December 2012, it covers a construction area of 6,420 square meters and an exhibition area of 4,800 square meters. The museum primarily displays cultural relics unearthed locally, collected items, and revolutionary artifacts. With historical evolution as its main thread, the exhibits are arranged chronologically and by artifact category, integrating collection, research, academic exchange, and social education. It serves as an important platform for showcasing the ancient civilization of Kenli, promoting traditional national culture, popularizing natural science knowledge, conducting patriotic education, and practicing socialist core values.

Kenli Museum features three thematic exhibition halls — “The Yellow River Flows into the Sea,” “The Magical Yellow River Estuary,” and “Pioneers of Kenli” — as well as two temporary exhibition spaces.

The general history exhibition hall — “The Yellow River Flows into the Sea” — mainly presents the historical evolution of Kenli from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the present. It is divided into eight sections based on different historical periods: Salt of Quzhan, Riverside Towns by the River and Sea, New Territories of the Tang Dynasty, Sails along the Silk Road, Convergence of Sea and River, Rear Area of the Bohai Sea, Cultivating a Prosperous Land, and Kenli Today. This exhibition hall showcases the distinctive history of Kenli and recent archaeological discoveries within the county. It was awarded the title of one of Shandong Province’s Top Ten Fine Exhibitions in 2013 and remains the only exhibition in Dongying City to receive this honor.

The “Magical Yellow River Estuary” exhibition hall primarily highlights the unique culture of the Yellow River estuary in Kenli. It includes the changes of the Yellow River Delta and coastline, the shifting courses of the lower Yellow River, the relationship between the Yellow River and Chinese civilization, the wetland ecological landscape of the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve, the development history of the Shengli Oilfield, Kenli’s distinctive handicrafts, and local tourist attractions. Through scene reconstructions and interactive electronic displays, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of Kenli’s estuary culture.

The “Pioneers of Kenli” exhibition hall mainly showcases the immigrant culture of Kenli. As a typical immigrant county, Kenli has been shaped by settlers from 109 counties across 11 provinces who arrived during various periods, creating a unique immigrant culture. The exhibition is divided into several sections, including the Origins of Immigration, Distribution of Immigrants, and Local Customs and Traditions. Supported by interactive electronic displays and a collection of cultural relics from different eras, it illustrates the immigrants’ hard work, establishment, and flourishing development in the Kenli region.

The two temporary exhibition halls mainly host exhibitions organized by various sectors of society. In 2014, Kenli Museum actively hosted eight temporary exhibitions, including the “Deep Attachment to Hometown” calligraphy exhibition by An Jiaxun, the “Spring Blossoms and Autumn Fruits” painting and calligraphy invitation exhibition by Wei Jinyong celebrating July 1st, the “Riverside Cultivated Land” calligraphy exchange exhibition by the “Dong Yi Book Society” in Kenli, the “Kenli Beauty” fine traditional Chinese painting exhibition, the painting, calligraphy, and photography exhibition celebrating the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Kenli County Political Consultative Conference, the “Celebrating National Day” small-scale painting and calligraphy invitation exhibition by renowned artists at Xinglong Ecological Forest Farm, the “Poetry, Wine, and Pastoral Life” small calligraphy works exhibition by the Ancient Path Calligraphy Society, and the Tsinghua University Academy of Arts and Design students and teachers calligraphy exhibition. These events enhanced the museum’s visibility and generated positive social impact.

Since its opening in 2012, Kenli Museum has received over 400 official visits from leaders at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels, and has welcomed a total of 300,000 visitors. It actively organizes various public welfare activities, such as promoting International Museum Day and World Cultural Heritage Day, inviting left-behind children to visit, conducting Party member educational activities for July 1st, and organizing social practice programs for young guides. These efforts have produced positive social effects and received widespread acclaim from leaders and the public alike.

Address: Block A, Kenli District Mass Culture Center, Dongying City, Shandong Province

Contact Person: Teacher Wang

Phone Number: 0546—6203689

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China