Jinsha Site Museum

The Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu showcases artifacts from the ancient Shu civilization, including the renowned Sun and Immortal Birds Gold Ornament. Opened in 2007, it offers guided tours, audio guides in multiple languages, and a visitor center. The museum is located at No.2 Jinsha Site Road, Qingyang District, Chengdu.

Planning your visit

Jinsha was found by accident in 2001, when construction workers in western Chengdu turned up ivory and jade. What followed was one of the most important Chinese archaeological discoveries in decades: a major settlement of the ancient Shu civilisation, roughly contemporary with the later phases of Sanxingdui, and clearly connected to it. The museum, opened in 2007, is built directly over the excavation, so one hall is the dig itself — a covered field of exposed earth with elephant tusks, jade and pottery lying where they were deposited over 3,000 years ago.

The single most famous object is the Sun and Immortal Birds gold ornament: a paper-thin gold disc, cut with a whirling sun at the centre and four birds circling it, less than half a millimetre thick. It has become the emblem of Chinese cultural heritage nationally and appears on the country's heritage-day symbol.

The site includes gardens and the exhibition hall alongside the excavation, and it is considerably more central than Sanxingdui, sitting within Chengdu itself rather than an hour away.

Bookable options include entry tickets, self-guided relics routes, and guided tours covering the Shu civilisation. Audio guides are available in several languages. Pairing Jinsha with Sanxingdui makes a coherent two-day exploration of a culture most visitors have never heard of. Current availability is shown below.