Honghe Prefecture Museum

Honghe Prefecture Museum

The Honghe Prefecture Museum is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Honghe Prefecture Museum is situated on the west side of Honghe Square in the Honghe Prefecture Administrative Center at No. 65 Tianma Road, Mengzi City. It was completed in December 2003, with a site area of 3,266 square meters and a total construction area of 8,121 square meters. The museum houses more than 8,089 cultural relics and is the only comprehensive local museum in Honghe Prefecture. It opened to the public on October 8, 2005, and was rated as a National Second-Class Museum in 2009.

Approaching the Honghe Prefecture Museum, its uniquely designed building that blends Chinese and Western architectural elements immediately catches the eye. The cone-shaped structure, inspired by the mountain-worshipping and circle-dancing customs of the ethnic minorities in Honghe, is adorned with colorful ethnic patterns and motifs. The varied window designs are derived from the ethnic groups' reverence for the sun, moon, water, and fire.

Over the long course of history, the ancestors of Honghe created an immortal civilization through their diligence and wisdom. In the three major thematic exhibition halls — "The Ancient and Magical Honghe," "The Colorful and Dazzling Honghe," and "The Prosperous and Beautiful Honghe" — spanning 5,090 square meters, over 1,000 exhibits are displayed. These include exquisitely crafted bronzeware, magnificent ceramics, mysterious bronze drums, elegant calligraphy and paintings, vibrant ethnic costumes and handicrafts, folk musical instruments, religious ritual items, and tin crafts. They represent the remarkable technological achievements and artistic talent of the ancestors, embodying their hard work and ingenuity.

The Honghe Prefecture Museum encapsulates the essence and historical sentiment of Honghe culture, carrying the aspirations of the prefecture’s 4 million people of all ethnicities for a bright future. Its mission is to celebrate the magnificent landscapes and hardworking people of Honghe, and its responsibility is to showcase the region’s long history, splendid culture, and the shining calling cards of “three millennia, four centuries.” It serves as a comprehensive window to present and understand Honghe in all its dimensions.

Since its opening, the Honghe Prefecture Museum has successfully hosted more than 80 important exhibitions, including the "7th Yunnan Province Orchid Exhibition," the "2006 International Costume Culture Symposium," the "Beijing Hani Nationality International Costume Exhibition," the "50th Anniversary Achievement Exhibition of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture," the "30th Anniversary Achievement Exhibition of Reform and Opening-Up in the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture," the "Grand Exhibition of the Centennial Yunnan-Vietnam Railway," and the "World Hani Rice Terraces Cultural Exhibition." These events have attracted over 2.2 million visitors from home and abroad.

The Honghe Prefecture Museum shoulders the historic responsibility of excavating, organizing, preserving, and promoting the historical culture of Honghe. Adhering to the philosophy of “Four Foundations” — based in the locality, rooted in the locality, elevating the locality, and promoting the locality — and focusing on the “Five Characteristics” — comprehensiveness, locality, ethnicity, artistry, and openness — the museum highlights its five strengths: the cradle of humanity, ethnic culture, multiculturalism, serving as a gateway to South and Southeast Asia, and being a National Model Autonomous Prefecture. It strives to become a comprehensive local museum with distinct contemporary features and ethnic characteristics, serving the entire prefecture and reaching out to South and Southeast Asia. The museum aims to contribute to the implementation of the strategy for strengthening the prefecture through ethnic culture and to the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Address: West side of Honghe Prefecture Administrative Center Square, No. 65 Tianma Road, Mengzi City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:00–11:30; 14:00–17:00; Saturday to Sunday 9:00–17:00; Closed on Mondays

Transportation: Bus routes 2 and 5

Contact: 0873-3736585 0873-3743858 0873-3728801

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China