Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum

The basics

You can visit the Tibetan Medicine Cultural Museum independently to wander its exhibition halls at your leisure; most visitors spend a few hours exploring, there are museum tours in English available, and you’ll find English signage throughout. Otherwise a variety of Xining tours include a stop here and often visit multiple sights, including the Ta'er Monastery and the Xining Dongguan Mosque.

Things to know before you go

• The museum is free to enter, but there’s a charge for special exhibitions, including to see the thangka scroll.
• You can’t buy food or drink at the museum, so pack your own snacks and water.
• Some areas of the museum have smooth floors and low lighting; be careful if visiting with young children or anyone with limited mobility.

How to get there

The Tibetan Medicine Cultural Museum is located in Xining to the north of the city center. Depending on where you start your journey, you can take bus routes 1, 46, 65, or 72 to the museum. Alternatively, hail a taxi; the journey is around 30 minutes from the center.

When to get there

The Tibetan Medicine Cultural Museum is open daily, from around 8:30am to 6pm, while closing time is 30 minutes earlier between October and April. It closes around some public holidays, so it’s worth checking its website ahead of your trip for the latest details. Note that summers are quite hot and winters are very cold, so consider visiting Xining in the spring or fall.

Qinghai Lake

When in Xining, it’s worth taking a trip out to Qinghai Lake, one of the largest lakes in China. While it’s about a 2-hour drive each way, the peaceful atmosphere is refreshing after touring the city of Xining. Once there, you can ride bikes, hike, go for a horseback ride, and do some bird-watching. Bring plenty of water and a picnic to enjoy lakeside.