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Sanxingdui Museum 三星堆博物馆

Name: Sanxingdui Museum 三星堆
Address: 广汉市南兴镇, Guanghan, Sichuan, 618300, China
Telephone: 85500349

Sanxingdui Museum is one of Southwest China’s most fascinating archaeological discoveries. Located in Guanghan, just 40 kilometers from Chengdu, it showcases a major Bronze Age dig site that has reshaped our understanding of ancient Chinese civilization.

The museum displays over 1,000 artifacts from this long-lost culture. These include an abundance of bronze wares, most notably the green and gold alien-like mask that gained worldwide attention in recent years.

Although the museum now sits quietly among Guanghan’s hills, experts believe these very hills once formed the outer walls of a thriving Bronze Age city. Therefore, walking through the site feels like stepping back in time.

Significantly, the Sanxingdui discovery challenges the long-held belief that Chinese civilization developed solely along the Yellow River. Instead, it suggests that multiple early cultures, including the one in Sichuan, played important roles in shaping what we now know as China. As a result, Chinese archaeologists are increasingly referring to “multiple centers of innovation” across the region.

Moreover, the museum underwent a major expansion. Completed in late 2023, the new facility is five times larger than the original. It is now the largest single museum building in Southwest China, offering an immersive experience for both history lovers and curious visitors.