China · MUSEUMS
Good museum visits fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Beijing small-group tour with reserved Forbidden City entry, Tiananmen Square context, and Royal Treasures Museum access in English or Spanish.
“Everything was perfect. Our guide, mrs Snow, is amazingly competent and incredibly passionate. Plus she is super sweet. Strong recommend”
Air-conditioned small-group half-day from Xi’an to the Terracotta Warriors, with an English guide, lunch, and a Big Wild Goose Pagoda stop.
“We did the 1/2 day tour. We arrived around 8:15 and there was already a lot of people. Huge queues to pass the passports and security. Very hot, bring water and hat. Inside the temperature is optimal, much cooler. Celine was a great Read moreAuto-translated”
A low-cost ticket to Jingshan Park with a panoramic Forbidden City view, serene imperial gardens, and an evening light show option.
“The visit to the Forbidden City with the guide Jay was simply exceptional. Knowledgeable, passionate and engaging, Jay took us through the history of Chinese imperialism with fascinating stories and little-known details. He was able to avoid the crowds, show us hidden corners and answer every question with great professionalism. Highly recommended!”
Private Chengdu day tour with early panda time, Kuan-Zhai Alley wandering, and Jinsha museum artifacts, with hotel pickup and guide.
“The trip to Chengdu was very memorable. This was the first time we see live pandas which were very adorable. We noticed that each panda had their own ideosynchracies. Some were active and playful while the oher just prederred to laRead more”
Private Xi'an day tour to Terracotta Warriors, Yaodong cave homes, and Hanyangling Museum, with lunch and hotel pickup.
“Michael was a great guide. Thank you Michael. Very patient with our kids and knowledgeable and informative on all historical matters. We loved this tour and the terracotta warrior museum was fascinating. Well organised and good value for money.”
Small-group Terracotta Army day trip from Xi'an with reserved tickets, guided museum time, and optional local lunch and show.
“very nice experience, worth it! I booked the tour on the last minute, Yanna helped a lot show me how to get the museum, thank you for the excellent job.”
Half-day National Museum of China tour with hotel pickup, subway transfer, English guide, and tickets included, featuring Ancient China and Guan yin.
“What an amazing and informative experience..History of China is very interesting so many things i learned today. Thank you so much for my tour guide Mike ..he explained everything clearly..spoke very good English and was very polite and professional..the session was very informative and would highly recommend. Thank you Mike for guide tour today I enjoyed it! Sharon.”
Skip the lines at Xi’an Terracotta Warriors with a pro English-speaking guide, pits 1-3 plus Bronze Chariots in 2 to 3 hours.
“Very informative and tour guide did a great job in English explaining to us the history. In addition altho we went during the national holiday and it was super packed, the guide knew how to push and help us skip through the waves of people and see everything in a timely manner. One critique is our guide did try to push a little for us to buy things at the museum.”
Special Forbidden City access with Treasure Gallery and clocks, Peking duck lunch, Jingshan views, then a quieter Badaling Great Wall climb.
“The tour was announced as taking place when at least two passengers registered. It turned out that we were the only ones who had booked that tour that day. I was concerned that this could reduce the quality of the service, but I was misRead more”
See Beijing’s Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Guozijian Museum, and Hutong lanes in 4 hours with an English guide and hotel pickup.
“Very good tour guide. Aurora has been explained every detail in a understandable and easy way and the tour became more interesting.”
Pre-book timed entry to the China National Museum and Tiananmen Square using passport-linked QR codes, with strict on-time rules.
“First about the booking process -> flawless as always with Viator, our QR codes for the museum entrance (incl. Tiananmen) were delivered on time before our visit and there have been no problems at all with gaining entrance to both Tiananmen and then the museum. They didn't even check the QR code as our tickets were linked with our passports and a passport scan was sufficient - very convenient and efficient (a procedure common with many sights). That it has been possible at all to acquire 2 tickets for a visit during the golden week is outstanding and I am thankful for that (appart from another two foreigners we saw…”
Private Beijing half-day tour of Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, and Guozijian Museum with dim sum lunch or dinner, guided with pickup.
“Worth the money especially with an English speaking tour . Did quite a bit in those 4 hours and a little shopping too . Highly recommend !”
Skip the crowds and enjoy Jingshan Park, a Ming imperial garden, for panoramic Forbidden City views from Wanchun Pavilion.
Visit Xi’an’s Terracotta Army with guided entry tickets. Pick a 2-hour small-group or half-day private tour with optional transfers.
“Our guide Henry was nice and friendly and very prepared. Entering the site without a guide is a bit of a problem if you want to know the story of the discovery because there are no descriptions. It’s interesting listening to the ancient history of the site and the description of every type of warriors. He was very kind and provided us with fresh water every now and then. In the middle of the summer with thousands of tourists, he was able to find the good spots to see. Good price, perfect experience. Very recommended”
Private Beijing tour to the Ming Tombs UNESCO site, the Sacred Way, and the National Museum, with lunch and hotel transfers.
“Thanks so much to Alice (out guide) and Mr. Zhang (our drive) for the amazing tour the National Museum and Ming Tumbs. They arrived perfectly in time at the hotel and took us directly to the Museum. Alice not only showed us masterpiRead more”
Pick a landmark, a landscape or a meal, and start the trip there.
