The Changle Gate is a well-preserved city wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The museum is situated at the foot of South Wutai Mountain, a holy Buddhist area during the Sui and Tang dynasties.

The museum covers 82 acres and was built in the typical Ming and Qing garden styles.

Since the museum was founded, it has collected 33,600 cultural relics from the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties. All of the relics, courtyards and homes originally stood in other cities throughout Shaanxi province were moved and restored at the museum.

Since the late 1980s, the museum has been collecting homes and courtyards from the Ming and Qing dynasties that were once inhabited by merchants, bankers and other businessmen from those eras.

Over 8,600 stone horse hitching posts from various dynasties are also on display. The museum has been successively supported as a key municipal and provincial project during the 11th and 12th five-year plans (2006-2016) and has been appointed by the Ministry of Culture as a national demonstration base for China's cultural industry.

The museum also features live performances of Chinese folk songs and dances dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century. Walking around the outdoor museum places the visitor right in the middle of China's history.

Xi'an has a lot to offer to any visitor, but once you've hit the main attractions inside the city, don't hesitate to hop on a bus and explore.

If Huashan and the Guanzhong Museum are popular with Chinese tourists, then think how much foreigners would enjoy the two locales if only they were more aware of them.

The author is a China Daily website writer and editor. He is a member of the Asia Photographers' Incredible China Tour to Xi'an. He can be contacted through lance@chinadaily.com.cn

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