Yunnan Nationalities Museum

Chinese name: 云南民族博物馆（Min Zu Bo Wu Guan）
Location: 1503 Dianchi Road, Kunming, Yunnan Province
Ticket: Free
Estimated time of tour: 2-3hours
Recommended time of visit: all year round
Nearby attractions: Yunnan Ethnicity Villiage, Dianchi lake, Jinma Biji Archway, Jiuxiang Caves, West Hill&Dragon Gate, Stone Forest, etc.

Yunnan Nationalities Museum sits next to Yunnan Ethnicity Village, about 9km from Yunnan’s provincial capital Kunming. This is a venue that showcases the culture and history of all ethnics in Yunnan Province. This museum is also largest of its kind in all of Southeast Asia. More than 10,000 pieces of items are displayed on site. The displayed items are categorized into 8 themes: Sociology of Ethnic Minority-Reform & Development, Eco-Industry of Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, Textile Technology and Art of Costumes of Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, Folk Fine Arts of Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, Festivals, Music & Dance of Ethnic of Minority in Yunnan, Handy Crafts of Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, Ancient Books and Documents of Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, Rare Stones and Gems. All these are displayed in 16 exhibition halls.

Origin of this museum can be traced back to 1950s when then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai return from his state visit to Southeast Asian countries and pointed out during his stay at Kunming that emphasis should be given to studies of ethnic minorities. China’s demographic feature is dominated by its diversity. 56 officially recognized ethnic groups live side by side. Yunnan is the province with largest ethnic diversity in China, one third of its total 48 million populations are ethnic minority coming from more than 25 different ethnic groups. So it is natural that a museum dedicated to ethnic was to be established here in Kunming. After a decade of preparation, the museum was unveiled in 1995.

Yunnan Nationalities Museum, committed to conserving and promoting ethnic cultures, now houses more than 40,000 sets (pieces) of cultural relics of certain historical, scientific and artistic value, including the most complete collection of ethnic costumes and accessories in China.

It is maintaining a long-term partnership with the National Folk Museum of South Korea, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the US-China Arts Exchange Center, the Smithsonian Institute and the University of Michigan Museum and the cooperation involves frequent exchanges of exhibitions and scholars. In addition, the Yunnan Nationalities Museum joined hands with a large number of local artists in Yunnan to start the Haigeng Artist Base, where various art exhibitions and lectures have been organized to promote the contemporary ethnic cultures and arts.