A museum experience in Xi'an airport terminal
An airport is usually where journeys begin and end, but at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, it can also be the first stop on a cultural journey.
Located inside Terminal 5, the Western Airport Museum is the world's first airport museum dedicated to displaying archaeological finds unearthed at the site. Opened to the public in February 2025, it showcases more than 22,000 artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations carried out as part of the airport's expansion.
Its centerpiece exhibition, "Chang'an: Everlasting Peace," features 120 artifacts, tracing Shaanxi's history from ancient times through the Silk Road to the flourishing era of Chang'an, the ancient name of Xi'an.
The museum is also making heritage more accessible through innovative programs. In collaboration with the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, it has brought Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) culture into the airport through youthful, interactive and creative experiences.
A green-glazed ceramic pillow is displayed at the Western Airport Museum inside Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on September 11, 2026. /VCG
For travelers, the museum offers a unique chance to encounter thousands of years of Chinese civilization while waiting for a flight. It turns a busy transportation hub into an unexpected cultural destination – and gives visitors another reason to pause and discover the history of Shaanxi.
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