Nánjīng Museum

Just east of Zhōngshān Gate, the Nánjīng Museum displays artefacts from Neolithic times right through to the communist period…when it's not under renovation. The main building was constructed in 1933 in the style of a Ming temple with yellow-glazed tiles, red-lacquered gates and columns. While this building is being tinkered with, a small collection has moved to the Art Gallery (艺术陈列馆; Yīshùchénlièguǎn) building next door.

The limited offerings include a haphazardly arranged collection of porcelain, textiles, bronze ware, earthen ware and folk art. Some of the 500-plus-year-old porcelain, with striking colours, looks startlingly contemporary, while a large wooden weaving machine boggles the imagination (how did they get up there to thread the looms?). Some displays are labelled in (bad) English. An example would be the 'keep quiet' notice translated as 'the subliminal of thought has started while the noisy has stopped'.