A photograph of China

Country guide

Theme: Museums in China

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33...

Photograph · Severin.stalder · CC BY-SA 3.0

39,939 Places
6Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33 province-level divisions, two of them special administrative regions.

Beijing is the capital; Shanghai is the most populous city by urban area. Between them the land runs from the Central Plain and the Yangtze and Yellow rivers out to desert, plateau, subtropical and temperate forest, and the Himalayas in the southwest. The first decision a visitor makes here is therefore not which sight to see but which climate to travel in.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Hong Kong Heritage Museum Hong Kong Heritage Museum
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Heritage Museum

    香港文化博物館 Hong Kong Heritage Museum

    The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is a major cultural institution operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  2. Hong Kong Museum of History Hong Kong Museum of History
    03 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Museum of History

    香港歷史博物館 Hong Kong Museum of History

    The Hong Kong Museum of History is a major cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Hong Kong and South China. Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, the museum occupies a purpose-built facility.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  3. Flagstaff House Flagstaff House
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Flagstaff House

    茶具文物館 Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

    Flagstaff House is Hong Kong’s oldest surviving Western-style building and now houses the Museum of Tea Ware. The historic building stands inside Hong Kong Park in Central, placing colonial architectural heritage beside one of the city’s major urban green spaces.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  4. M+ M+
    05 1 hr 30 min

    M+

    M+ is a museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, located in the West Kowloon Cultural District. It focuses on twentieth- and twenty-first-century art, design, architecture, and moving image from Hong Kong, China, Asia, and beyond.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  5. Hong Kong Maritime Museum Hong Kong Maritime Museum
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Maritime Museum

    香港海事博物館 Hong Kong Maritime Museum

    The Hong Kong Maritime Museum is a museum in Hong Kong dedicated to the maritime history and heritage of the region.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  6. Hong Kong Railway Museum Hong Kong Railway Museum
    07 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Railway Museum

    香港鐵路博物館 Hong Kong Railway Museum

    The Hong Kong Railway Museum occupies a historic building that was formerly the Tai Po Market Railway Station, constructed in 1913.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  7. Hong Kong Science Museum Hong Kong Science Museum
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Science Museum

    香港科學館 Hong Kong Science Museum

    Hong Kong Science Museum is a public science museum in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. It presents science as something to explore with your hands, eyes, and curiosity rather than only through labels or glass cases.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  8. Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence

    香港抗戰及海防博物館 Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence

    The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence is a museum dedicated to Hong Kong's military history, particularly its coastal defence heritage and role during the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  9. Statue of Bruce Lee Statue of Bruce Lee
    10 1 hour

    Statue of Bruce Lee

    李小龍銅像 Bruce Lee Statue

    The Statue of Bruce Lee is an outdoor bronze memorial on the Avenue of Stars beside the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hong Kong
  10. Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum
    11 1 hr 30 min

    Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum

    孫中山紀念館 Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum

    The Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum is a museum in Hong Kong dedicated to the life and revolutionary activities of Dr Sun Yat-sen, founding father of the Republic of China.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  11. Sam Tung Uk Museum Sam Tung Uk Museum
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Sam Tung Uk Museum

    三棟屋博物館 Sam Tung Uk Museum

    Sam Tung Uk Museum is a restored Hakka walled village in Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  12. Hong Kong Film Archive Hong Kong Film Archive
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Film Archive

    香港電影資料館 Hong Kong Film Archive

    The Hong Kong Film Archive in Sai Wan Ho is a cultural venue devoted to Hong Kong’s moving-image heritage. It brings together public exhibitions, film screenings and archival resources, offering a focused way to understand the territory through cinema.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  13. Hong Kong Police Museum Hong Kong Police Museum
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Police Museum

    警隊博物館 Police Museum

    Hong Kong Police Museum traces the history of the Hong Kong Police Force from the colonial period to the present.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  14. Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum

    李鄭屋漢墓博物館 Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum

    Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum preserves a tomb discovered in 1955 during construction work in Sham Shui Po. Dating from the Eastern Han dynasty, the tomb is one of Hong Kong’s most important archaeological sites.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  15. Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

    香港醫學博物館 Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

    Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences presents the history of medical science in Hong Kong inside a historic former bacteriological institute. The museum connects public health, scientific research and the development of healthcare in the territory.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  16. Xiqu Centre Xiqu Centre
    17 1 hour

    Xiqu Centre

    戲曲中心 Xiqu Centre

    Xiqu Centre is a performing arts venue in Hong Kong dedicated to xiqu, the traditional Chinese opera encompassing Cantonese opera and other regional forms. Opened in 2019, it serves as a major cultural facility within the West Kowloon Cultural District.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hong Kong
  17. Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery

    展城館 City Gallery

    Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery, also called 展城館 or City Gallery, introduces visitors to the territory’s urban planning, infrastructure, transport networks, harbourfront projects, and future development.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  18. Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre

    香港文物探知館 Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre

    Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is a cultural institution in Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui, devoted to Hong Kong’s archaeological and built heritage.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  19. Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum
    20 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum

    香港懲教博物館 Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum

    The Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum is a museum operated by the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department. It is located in Stanley on Hong Kong Island.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  20. Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

    香港視覺藝術中心 Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

    The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is a visual arts facility in Hong Kong. It operates under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong government.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  21. Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Mausoleum of Mao Zedong

    毛主席纪念堂

    Chairman Mao Memorial Hall is a national patriotic education demonstration base located on Tiananmen Square, with a total floor area of 33,867 square metres. Its inauguration ceremony was held and it opened to the public on 9 September 1977.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  22. Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre
    23 1 hr 30 min

    Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre

    衞生教育展覽及資料中心 Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre

    The Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre is a public health education facility in Hong Kong. Its Chinese name is 衞生教育展覽及資料中心. The centre serves as a venue for promoting health awareness and providing educational resources to the public.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  23. Hong Kong Museum of Education Hong Kong Museum of Education
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Museum of Education

    香港教育博物館

    Hong Kong Museum of Education focuses on the history and development of education in Hong Kong. Its subject reaches beyond classrooms to teaching practice, learning, educational policy and the institutions that shaped society.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  24. Drum Tower of Xi'an Drum Tower of Xi'an
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Drum Tower of Xi'an

    西安鼓楼博物馆

    Xi'an Drum Tower is a Ming Dynasty landmark in the centre of Xi'an's walled city. It stands opposite the Bell Tower and is one of the city's defining historic buildings.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Xi'an

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to China be?

Twelve to eighteen days can link Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai by high-speed rail, with Shenzhen as a southern extension. Hong Kong and Macao need separate border planning and should not be treated as ordinary domestic stops on the same timetable.

What entry documents are needed for China?

Entry rules differ between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, even within one journey. Check the official immigration authority for every border segment and match the permission to the passport, purpose, and exact itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around China?

High-speed rail and domestic flights cover mainland distances, while metros handle most urban journeys. Hong Kong uses Octopus and separate border controls, and Macao has its own formalities, so prepare payment and identity requirements for each jurisdiction.

When is a practical time to visit China?

April to May and September to October are only broad mainland planning windows. Beijing, Shanghai, the south, Hong Kong, and Macao have different heat, rain, and holiday pressures; the least flexible regional leg should set the dates.

What money and payment basics apply in China?

Mainland China uses renminbi (CNY), while Hong Kong and Macao use HKD and MOP. Payment systems and card acceptance differ across those jurisdictions, so prepare the appropriate local method before crossing each border.

What practical safety details should I save for China?

On the mainland, save 110 for police and 120 for medical help; Hong Kong and Macao use separate emergency systems. Mainland electricity is recorded as 220 V with Type A, C, and I sockets, while tap-water guidance is not recorded.