Ancient Coastal Relics Museum

　　The Ancient Coastal Relics Museum is situated in the southeastern part of Dagang District, Tianjin, within the core area of the shell ridge in the Tianjin Ancient Coast and Wetlands National Nature Reserve. It is China’s first museum dedicated to ancient coastal shell relics.

　　In the last century, geologists discovered five ancient coastal shell ridges stretching from west to east in Tianjin (collectively known as the Tianjin Ancient Shell Ridges), which were formed approximately 1,000 to 5,000 years ago and record the historical changes of sea and land in the coastal region. The Tianjin Ancient Shell Ridges, along with the shell ridges of Louisiana in the United States and Suriname in South America, are known as the world’s three most famous shell ridges.

　　The Ancient Coastal Relics Museum was built directly on a well-preserved ancient coastal relic section of the second shell ridge, dating back about 2,600 years. The shell ridge layers are clearly defined, prominently exposed, and large in scale, making it of great academic research value. Since its official establishment in 2003, the museum has hosted a large-scale international academic conference or survey activity every year. The 7th International Conference on Tidal Sedimentology held in September last year attracted more than ten renowned scientists from countries such as Germany, Denmark, and France, establishing it as an important base for international collaborative research in oceanography, geology, and related fields.

　　Upon entering the Ancient Coastal Relics Museum, the central feature is the core part of the exhibition—the ancient coastal relic section. On the stratigraphic section about five to six meters high, one can see over a dozen layers composed of shells and sand. Museum staff explained that this intact stratigraphic section contains more than 13 shell fault layers, reflecting the historical changes of the Tianjin coastal area from around 1,300 to 2,600 years ago. Each shell is a mark, recording the era of the sea, while the types, colors, and sizes of shells in each fault layer convey information about marine life from different periods.

　　The museum houses a collection of over 3,600 rare seashells from more than 500 species across five major categories, offering people boundless imagination—especially beloved by children. Among them, the “treasure of the museum,” the giant clam (Tridacna), weighs 258 kilograms, measures 96 centimeters in length, and is 600 years old. It is a Class I protected animal in China. Here, visitors can also learn about the evolution of ancient coastal geological structures and changes through slides, witnessing the history of Tianjin’s transformation from sea to land.

　　Construction began in March 2003, and the project was completed in October of the same year. The building covers an area of 2,200 square meters, with a protected land area of 8.4 hectares.

　　The Tianjin Ancient Coastal Relics Museum has been designated as a base for science education and teaching internships by institutions such as the Tianjin Science and Technology Commission, the Communist Youth League Tianjin Municipal Committee, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, and Huaxia Future Youyuan International Kindergarten. Since 2009, the museum has been open to the public free of charge, becoming a popular destination for marine education and sightseeing.

　　Address: East of Nanjingji Highway, Shanggulin, Dagang District, Tianjin

　　Opening hours: 9:00–16:00 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays)