Tulufan Bowuguan
Although the space-age exterior and lobby belie the sloppily curated interior, this is worth an hour of pottering, especially in the midday heat. Many of the exhibits are from theAstana graves,and attest to the preservation qualities of Turpan's arid climate. You'll see dumplings, cakes, and sultanas, all at least 13 centuries past their best. Other grave goods include a rooster-shaped pillow to ensure its owner didn't sleep through the afterlife, and the naturally mummified bodies of some of the inhabitants. The macabre nature of the exhibit attracted experts from theBeijing Natural History Museum,who have added a reproduction of a Gaochang army general and his wife. The final exhibition hall features the skeleton of a 9m-long (30-ft.) herbivorous dinosaur,Paraceratherium Tienshanensis,andvarious Jurassic Park-inspired replicas.
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| Hours | 9:30am-7:30pm | |
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| Address | Gaochang Lu 26 | |
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| Prices | Admission ¥20 ($2.50) | |