History Museum of Southwest University

History Museum of Southwest University

The History Museum of Southwest University was established in 1952. It originated as the cultural relics exhibition room of the Library and Museum Department at Southwest Normal University and was upgraded to a full museum in 1986. In July 1994, the museum moved from the Third Teaching Building to the west side of Huiwen Building, covering a total area of approximately 1,000 square meters. The museum mainly serves the teaching and research of history, archaeology, and tourism, while also welcoming visitors from outside the university, as well as students and scholars from primary, middle, and high schools. Each year, thousands of domestic and international dignitaries, scholars, and students visit the museum. It is a group member of the Chinese Museums Association and the University Museums Association, a national science education base, and an important window for the university to engage in cultural and academic exchanges with the outside world.

The museum currently houses a collection of over 9,000 items, which mainly come from allocations by institutions such as the Sichuan Provincial Museum and the Chongqing Municipal Museum. Additionally, more than half a century of collection efforts, purchases, and donations have also been significant sources of the museum’s holdings. The collection includes 11 categories: stone tools, ceramics, bronzes, ironware, coins, calligraphy and paintings, ethnic minority artifacts, and others. Among them, there are 73 stone tools, 593 pieces of pottery, 733 pieces of porcelain, 474 pieces of bronze ware, 10 oracle bone fragments, 95 bricks and tiles, over 2,000 coins, 144 pieces of calligraphy and paintings, 1,167 ancient rubbings, over 2,000 ethnic minority artifacts, and over 200 revolutionary relics. According to preliminary appraisals, several items are classified as national first-class relics, around 20 as second-class, and nearly 100 as third-class. The museum excels in ceramics, currency, and ethnic minority artifacts—especially porcelain, which features a wide variety and complete range of periods. Ethnic minority artifacts are particularly strong in Qiang and Yi cultural items. In addition, the museum has collected a large number of high-quality cultural relics reflecting Bashu culture.

The museum's exhibition rooms are divided across two floors, comprising six exhibition halls and one teaching laboratory, with a total area of about 700 square meters. The first is the Comprehensive Room, featuring Shang Dynasty oracle bone fragments, historically famous inkstones, ceramics from famous kilns of the Song Dynasty, and other precious relics. The second is the Ceramics Room, which includes Neolithic stone tools, painted pottery, Qin tiles and Han bricks, as well as hundreds of ceramics from various dynasties. The third is the Metalware Room, mainly displaying bronzes, ironware, and tinware from different periods in Chinese history. The fourth is the Currency Room, showcasing currency from various eras (from shell money to paper money in the early years of the People’s Republic of China). The fifth is the Calligraphy, Painting, and Crafts Room, exhibiting fine works of calligraphy and painting, valuable rubbings, and some modern handicrafts. The sixth is the Ethnic Minority Artifacts Room, displaying clothing, utensils, and photos of the customs of Tibetan, Qiang, and Yi peoples. The seventh is the Fishing City Exhibition Room, which introduces the construction and defense of the historic city and famous ancient battlefield of Fishing City through models and exquisite paintings. The museum regularly hosts major exhibitions such as the "Exhibition of Ceramics Through the Dynasties," "Exhibition of Fine Bashu Cultural Relics," and "Exhibition of Chinese Currency Through the Dynasties." These exhibitions greatly enrich campus cultural life and fully demonstrate the important role of university museums in professional education and the cultural quality development of college students.

The museum has a strong professional team, with three full-time staff members and two part-time staff members, including one professor, two associate professors, and two individuals holding doctoral degrees. The professional staff actively engage in field investigations, cultural relic excavations, and museological research, forming a stable teaching and research team.

Contact Person: Zou Fudu (Museum Director)

Phone: 023-68367383 (Office)

Opening Hours

The museum is open from Monday to Saturday each week. It is open daily from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM and from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM.