From Zhongshan East Road, the roof of Nanjing Museum's History Hall is one of the first things you see. Inside, six halls compete for your time. For a half-day visit, choose one exhibition you most want to see and a second stop that changes the pace. On a first visit, the History Hall pairs well with a temporary exhibition or the Republic of China Hall.
Make the History Hall your main stop
Look at the timeline and choose two periods that interest you. At a set of bells, see how they hang and how their sizes change before moving closer to look at their decoration. Find an everyday object nearby and compare how the two objects were used. With children, pick a couple of things to find on the way in, such as an instrument and an animal-shaped object. Read one label when you find each, then decide whether to move on.
Pick the second stop by subject
For a temporary exhibition, check the name, dates and entry arrangements before setting out, then give that show priority inside. For a change of pace, see the recreated streetscape in the Republic of China Hall. Look at the windows, signs and shopfronts to see how the exhibition evokes an earlier city. If craft, historic art or digital displays are more appealing, check what is open that day in the Intangible Cultural Heritage, Art or Digital Hall.
Leave time to walk, wait and rest
Check the museum's reservation information, entry slots and gallery openings for your date. Use the map inside to see how to get from your first stop to your second, and leave time to sit down in between. If the temporary exhibition queue is long and your group cares most about the History Hall, start with the periods you picked. Before leaving, ask each other which object you would describe to someone back home.
