Visiting the Terracotta Army: plan the whole day

Reserve for the correct museum

The official attraction is Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, in the Lintong area east of central Xi’an. Use the museum’s own ticket information to identify the authorised booking channel and current conditions. A search result or a shop with “Terracotta” in its name is not sufficient identification.

The museum operates real-name booking and entry checks. Use the correct details for each visitor and carry the document used for the reservation. Check the instructions for your document type, including passports and Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan travel documents, rather than copying a mainland-ID-only tutorial.

Passport booking: a practical checklist

The museum’s published ticket instructions list its website and the official WeChat accounts 秦始皇帝陵博物院 and 兵马俑票务在线 as reservation channels, including for overseas visitors. Follow the links or QR codes on the official ticket page.

Enter each visitor’s own details, select the available date and entry slot, and check that your order is confirmed. Save the confirmation offline. Bring the original valid passport or other accepted document used for the booking; a screenshot of the document is not a substitute.

The published instructions identify the North Gate as the entrance and ask visitors to arrive 30 minutes before their reserved slot. Recheck your booking and current notices before departure.

Official instructions reviewed on 13 September 2026. We have not completed a purchase using an overseas phone number or bank card, so cannot confirm support for your particular account or payment method. If a step fails, use the museum’s ticket enquiry number, +86 29 81399127. Do not assume arrival without a reservation will resolve it.

Allow for more than the journey

Your visit includes getting from the arrival point to the entrance, checks, walks between halls, time at crowded viewing areas and a meal or rest. Give the museum a substantial part of the day. A train or metro segment does not by itself deliver you to the pits.

Arrange the final road transfer and a clear return meeting point if using a driver. If using public transport, check the current connection and operating times. Avoid making a tight airport or high-speed-train connection the same evening.

Look at scale, then detail

Pit 1 gives the broad view most people recognise. After taking in the ranks, choose a few figures to compare: armour, hair, hand positions and the different states of restoration. The smaller pits and displays can help explain the organisation and making of the army.

There is no viewing order that guarantees quiet. Follow staff directions and adapt to the flow on the day. Give others space at the barriers, keep children close and observe the current photography rules in each exhibition.

Understand the wider site

The warriors are part of a much larger burial landscape. The museum’s ticket information describes access to the wider mausoleum area and its connections. Decide whether you want to include it before scheduling another attraction, and check any temporary gallery restrictions.

Do not expect to enter the emperor’s burial chamber. The archaeological experience centres on excavated pits, objects and the landscape above ground. Exhibitions, shuttle arrangements and accessible routes can change, so use the official visitor notices for the final details.

Choose guidance for explanation

A guide can help connect the pits with Qin history and point out details that are easy to miss. Clarify the language, duration, meeting point and what is included. Museum admission, transport and guiding are separate services unless explicitly bundled.

Modern replica workshops and souvenir stops are optional activities outside the archaeological visit. Confirm whether a proposed tour includes them so that your available museum time matches your expectations.