Xi'an Beilin Museum (Photo/Xinhua)

Top 6: Xi'an Beilin Museum (西安碑林博物馆)

The Xi'an Beilin Museum is built on the site of the Xi'an Stele Forest, home to steles and stone sculptures. It is the biggest collection of steles in China, carrying over 11,000 relics.

First established in 1087 during the Northern Song Dynasty, the museum's original purpose was to preserve and display the manuscripts of two classics, "The Thirteen Classics" and "The Classic on Filial Piety." After many dynasties' worth of collecting, the museum's holdings became larger and larger. In 1961, China's State Council announced that the Xi'an Stele Forest, later the Xi'an Beilin Museum, was in the first batch of important national historical sites that should receive special protection.

Admission: 45 yuan (high season);

Best time to visit: March to November