Hebei Museum

Wandering the cavernous halls of this museum's two buildings will take you deep into the multilayered realms of Chinese history, with most exhibits focusing on archaeological excavations that date as far back as the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). As fascinating as the trove of funeral figurines, jade burial suits and bronze vessels is, however, the real star is the Quyang Stone Carvings collection, which features masterful ancient statuary – mostly Buddhist – carved from Hebei's Quyuan marble. Bring your passport for entry.