The Museum of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Overview
The Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum (甘孜藏族自治州博物馆) is located at No. 9 Gongga Road, Yulin New District, Kangding City, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Established on October 15, 1987, the museum spans a total area of 18,500 square meters, with a building area of 12,043 square meters, including an exhibition area of 5,000 square meters.
The museum’s preparations began in 1984, initially approved as the “Ganzi Prefecture Tibetan Museum” (甘孜州藏族博物馆). In 2014, it was renamed the “Ganzi Prefecture National Museum” (甘孜州民族博物馆), and the new facility officially opened to the public on August 9, 2016. The museum houses a rich collection of cultural relics, categorized into four main types: unearthed relics, ethnic relics, religious and sacrificial relics, and revolutionary relics. The collection includes bronzeware, ceramics, textiles, gold and silverware, pottery, and Thangka art, featuring painted, printed, embroidered, and woven varieties. Notable themes include Buddhist imagery, folk customs, and Tibetan medicine. One of the museum’s treasures is the tiger skin tent, which holds significant cultural value.
Historical Development
The establishment of the Ganzi Prefecture National Museum commenced in 1984, with the approval of document No. [1984] 066 permitting the establishment of the “Ganzi Prefecture Tibetan Museum.” In 2014, it was renamed the “Ganzi Prefecture National Museum.” The construction of the new museum began in 2010 and is situated in Yulin New District of Kangding County, the capital of Ganzi Prefecture. The total area of the new museum is 18,500 square meters, with a building area of 12,043 square meters, including an exhibition area of 5,000 square meters. Exhibitions in the new museum are divided into four primary displays: Ecological Ganzi, Historical Ganzi, Red Ganzi, and Cultural Ganzi, along with a temporary exhibition hall.
The Ganzi Prefecture National Museum serves as a regional cultural heritage institution dedicated to the collection, research, protection, and exhibition of cultural relics, taking on the vital responsibility of preserving and showcasing the region’s heritage.
Exhibition Contents
Tiger Skin Tent
The tiger skin tent is constructed with two fan-shaped tops and four near-rectangular sides. The main fabric is made from tiger skin, complemented by leopard skin and otter skin, with a土红色 (red-brown) coarse cotton lining. The tent features shell decorations sewn at the top and bottom. According to investigations, this tiger skin tent was once the official tent of the Mao Ya Tusi (毛垭土司) from Litang. The ancestors of the Mao Ya Tusi migrated from the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai to the Mao Ya grassland due to the region’s rich water and grass resources, known locally as “Yong Zhu Ben” and referred to by Han people as “Mao Ya Tusi.” In the 61st year of the Kangxi reign (1722), Mao Ya Tusi Suolang Luobu pledged allegiance, and in the 7th year of the Yongzheng reign (1729), he was appointed as the governor of Mao Ya. The tiger skin tent is not only luxurious and exquisitely crafted but also serves as a significant artifact for studying Tusi culture in the Kangding region.
Visitor Information
Location
No. 9 Gongga Road, Yulin New District, Kangding City, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China
Visiting Guidelines
- Free Opening Hours: The museum is open for free from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (with entry stopping at 4:00 PM). The museum is closed on Mondays (except for national holidays).
- Entry Requirement: Visitors must present valid identification to receive a visitor ticket before entering.
- Item Storage: Please store personal belongings before your visit; keep valuables with you.
- Accompanied Visits: Minors and those with limited mobility must be accompanied by someone. Individuals under the influence of alcohol, poorly dressed, or with mental disorders are not permitted to enter.
- Prohibited Items: It is strictly forbidden to bring dangerous items and pets into the museum.
- Touching Artifacts: Please do not touch the cultural relics or exhibits. If public facilities or relics are damaged, compensation must be made at market value, or corresponding responsibilities must be undertaken.
- Behavior in Exhibition Halls: Please refrain from loud talking, running, or climbing in the exhibition halls.
- Prohibited Activities: No smoking, spitting, or littering is allowed.
- Photography: No video recording is allowed in the exhibition halls. Please turn off the flash when taking photographs.
- Visitor Conduct: Visitors should follow the order of the visit and obey the guidance of staff on-site.
