Quanzhou Maritime Museum

The basics

The Quanzhou Maritime Museum was initially located in the Kaiyuan Temple. Most collections have moved to this striking modern complex, designed to resemble a ship under sail. It’s free to enter, but you need a passport for entry.

Historic Quanzhou has lots to see and plenty of accommodations, but most travelers visit on a day trip from Xiamen. Book a tour with transportation to cover more ground—important as the subway system is in its infancy, and both the high-speed rail station and some key sights are a long way out of the center.

Things to know before you go

• The Quanzhou Maritime Museum is great for history buffs, boat enthusiasts, and families.

• Most signage in the museum is in both Mandarin and English.

• The modern building is accessible to people in wheelchairs and stroller-friendly.

How to get there

Quanzhou is a 90-minute drive or a 30-minute bullet train ride up the coast from Xiamen, and the maritime museum is about an 8-mile (13-kilometer) drive from Quanzhou Station, where the fast trains arrive. While the city’s subway is under construction, your best option is to join a tour or rideshare with DiDi: You’ll need to link your foreign card to China’s Alipay or WeChat Pay apps.

When to get there

The museum usually opens Tuesday through Sunday; it’s closed on Mondays, with the exception of national holidays. In summer, the normal opening hours are morning through evening; in winter, it closes a bit earlier. It’s rarely too busy, so visit at a time that suits you.

The Kaiyuan Temple ancient ship

About 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the Quanzhou Maritime Museum, the Kaiyuan Temple houses perhaps the city’s star maritime exhibit, the hull of a vast junk that sank off Quanzhou, most likely in the late 13th century. The model of how the ship would have functioned in its working life gives a fascinating insight into the scope and scale of Chinese exploration.