Rizhao Museum

Rizhao Museum
日照市博物馆

Address: No 200-6 Beijing Road, Donggang district, Rizhao city, Shandong province
Opening hours:
9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
General admission: Free
Tel: 0633-8788925

The Rizhao Museum, located in the Donggang district of Rizhao, is nestled between the Yinhe Park to the north and Bixia Lake to the west. Established in 1986, the museum's new facility opened in January 2021. In early 2024, Rizhao Museum was honored as a national first-class museum, marking a significant milestone for the city.

The museum's collection, which exceeds 12,000 items, encompasses artifacts from several major cultural periods such as the Dawenkou Culture, Longshan Culture, and Yueshi Culture, as well as relics from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (c. 16th century-256 BC). It also features a remarkable array of Paleolithic stone tools, pottery, bronze objects, and coins, some dating back tens of thousands of years. This diverse collection underscores the profound historical and cultural heritage of the region.

Within the museum's broad offerings are five permanent exhibits such as "Prehistoric History and Culture of Rizhao", "Culture of Rizhao during the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties", "Notable Figures in Rizhao's History", and a temporary exhibit commemorating the 20th anniversary of the excavation of the Haiqu tomb – a significant Western Han Dynasty site. These exhibits collectively highlight Rizhao's rich historical and cultural legacy.

Among the museum's most treasured artifacts is the Longshan eggshell black pottery cup, an exceptional piece from the Longshan Culture period, dating back 4,000 years ago. This cup, with walls as thin as two-tenths of a millimeter, is extremely rare and exemplifies the pinnacle of ancient Chinese pottery craftsmanship 4,000 years ago. Celebrated for its exquisite artistry, the cup features a sleek, mirror-like finish and a delicate, porcelain-like texture, underscoring the advanced techniques of Longshan-era pottery.