“Oriental Venus” is more than just a name. It hints at a hidden treasure within the Sichuan University Museum. We stand before a place of immense cultural and historical importance. This is not just any museum. It’s the first comprehensive university museum in China.
The Sichuan University Museum’s history stretches back over a century. Its origins lie in the Chengdu University Museum established in 1914. By the 1940s, it was renowned as the most complete museum in Southwest China. After being closed in 2019, the museum was renovated. It reopened to the public with a sprawling 70,000 square meters. Over 10,000 square meters are dedicated to exhibitions.
Inside the Sichuan University Museum lie over 80,000 cultural relics. There are also over 140,000 animal specimens and 840,000 plant specimens. The museum boasts four halls. A hall for general displays highlights the natural and cultural knowledge of Southwest China. Another hall hosts temporary exhibitions. Dedicated halls showcase nature and art.
In the general display area, high technology brings the Sanxingdui Ruins excavation site to life. Precious relics await like a celadon-glazed brown-green goose cup from the Tang Dynasty. A jade tablet and jade tube from the Shang Dynasty are also on display. The true gem, however, is the Tang Dynasty Bodhisattva statue, the “Oriental Venus.”
The nature exhibition hall explores the evolution of organisms. It examines the relationship between humans and nature and the development of modern life sciences. Staff aptly describe it as witnessing the “coming and going of countless miraculous life forms.”
The Sichuan University Museum is not just for students. It serves as a public space for all. It blends humanity and nature. It combines art and science. The museum connects scientific research and public education. The Sichuan University Museum is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission ends at 4:30 PM. Entry is free. Take your time to explore.