Shizuishan City Museum

Shizuishan City Museum

Constructed in 2009 as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Shizuishan City, the museum is under the administration of the Shizuishan Municipal Bureau of Culture, News Publishing, Radio, Film and Television. It is the largest comprehensive cultural exhibition center in the city to date. The museum comprises three permanent departments: General Management, Social Education, and Logistics Support, and currently has a staff of more than 20.

The museum currently covers a construction area of 16,118 square meters, with an exhibition space of 8,252 square meters. It is divided into a lobby, three basic exhibition halls, and three thematic exhibition halls. The Paleontological Fossil Hall uses modern techniques such as sound, light, and electricity to showcase the ancient life evolution and pristine environmental features of Shizuishan. The Rock Art Hall displays the mysterious and unique charm of the Helan Mountain rock art through a large number of actual rock art pieces, landscape models, and rubbings. The strange and fascinating rock art symbols transport visitors across time and space into the prehistoric world, offering a glimpse into the nomadic life of ancient ancestors. The History Hall presents the historical civilization of Shizuishan from the Neolithic Age to the present through cultural relics, photographs, and dioramas. The Folk Custom Hall recreates the scene of the north-south main street of Pingluo Ancient City during the Republic of China period, exhibiting the architectural styles, festivals, rituals, religion, and folk arts of Shizuishan. The Industry Hall highlights the dramatic transformation of Shizuishan’s industry from its origins in coal mining to its development into a modern industrial city, featuring a wealth of historical documents and physical exhibits. The Agriculture Hall uses various farming tools, images, and dioramas to illustrate the evolution of Shizuishan from traditional agriculture to modern farming.

Cultural Relics Collection and Exhibition

As a repository and witness to splendid culture, the Shizuishan Museum houses a collection of 920 cultural relics (sets), including 33 second-grade relics (sets) and 46 third-grade relics (sets). In terms of time span, the relics range from the late Paleolithic Age to the Cultural Revolution period in 1976. Based on material, the collection mainly includes stone tools, porcelain, pottery, bronze ware, ironware, coins, fossil specimens, and rock art. In terms of characteristics, the Neolithic Age collection is dominated by pottery, there is a rich collection from the Song Dynasty, fossil specimens are primarily animal fossils, and the rock art mainly features animal engravings. Among the exhibitions, the Paleontological Fossil Hall displays fossil specimens unearthed in the Shizuishan area. The Rock Art Hall, themed “Stone Imprints,” showcases the features of Helan Mountain rock art. The History and Revolution Hall narrates the wisdom and hard work of the people of Shizuishan from the Paleolithic Age to the Korean War. The Folk Custom Hall recreates the atmosphere of Pingluo Ancient City during the Republic of China period to depict local customs and traditions. A total of 920 cultural relics are on display.

Further Reading:

· National Third-Grade Museum of China