Altay Regional Museum

Altay Region, also known as Altay or A'ertai, means “Golden Mountain” in Mongolian. It is also translated as Altay, derived from the Turkic language, meaning “gold.” Covering an area of 110,000 square kilometers, it is located in the northernmost part of Xinjiang, bordering Outer Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia.The Altay Region comprises six counties and one city.The Altay Region is under the jurisdiction of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. In autumn and winter, Altay resembles a fairyland on earth and is a cherished destination for many. According to historical records, the tribes that grazed here during the Qin Dynasty were the Sai people, who migrated from the Hexi Corridor in today’s Gansu Province. Starting from the Western Han Dynasty, successive central governments established administrative bodies in the region. The name “Altay” comes from the Turkic language, meaning “Golden Mountain,” named for the gold deposits in the mountains. There is a saying: “In the seventy-two valleys of the Altai Mountains, every valley holds gold.”

The Altay Regional Museum is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

The Altay Regional Cultural Relics Museum covers a total area of 1,960 square meters. The exhibition hall is hexagonal in shape, spanning 1,080 square meters, and displays 298 cultural relics and artifacts. The triangular radial display cases at the center of the hall showcase unearthed and collected cultural relics, as well as some items representing local customs and folk culture, highlighting stone figures, deer stones, and petroglyphs, which underscore the region’s characteristics.

The Altay Regional Cultural Relics Museum is located on Jiefang Road in Altay. Established in 1994, it has an exhibition area of about 100 square meters. Its basic exhibitions include the “Ancient Nationalities Cultural Relics of Altay” and the “Petroglyphs of the Altai Mountains,” displaying over 400 cultural relics. The exhibits mainly consist of microliths, deer stones, and similar artifacts.

Edited Section: Museum Collection

Stone Figures: Stone figures are a cultural phenomenon found across the Eurasian steppe. They first appeared around 1200 BC and gradually disappeared by the 13th century. These figures reflect the concept of ancestor worship and also carry the meaning of praying for ancestral protection.

Deer Stones: Deer stones are stela-like stone carvings erected in burial grounds and have a close connection with the deceased. They may be a product of primitive shamanism and carry connotations of nature worship.

Petroglyphs: Petroglyphs are generally carved on rocks on hillsides or at the bottoms of valleys. Their content is complex and their meanings profound, featuring animals, human-animal figures, carts, human reproductive imagery, and more.

Bronze Utensils: Bronze was used by the grassland ancestors as cookware for ritual offerings.

Visit Information – Edited

Local Transportation: You can take a taxi to get there, with fares typically under 20 yuan.

Address: Jiefang Road, Altay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Transportation Routes: Take bus routes 1 or 2 to Xingzheng

Opening Hours: Off-season — 10:00–13:00, 16:00–19:00

Peak Season — 9:30–13:30, 16:00–19:30

Closed Days: From Lunar New Year’s Eve to the third day of the Lunar New Year

Postal Code: 836500