"Five Stars Rise in the East" at the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum in Urumqi

Most visitors to Urumqi will not miss the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, and most visitors to the museum will not miss the "Five Stars Rise in the East" exhibit. However, the display case is quite small. Before seeing the real thing, you might imagine from online photos that it is located in the center of a certain exhibition hall, and on a display case surrounded by other exhibits. However, this is not the case, and you may even miss it if you are not careful. Therefore, for first-time visitors to Urumqi, if you are going to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, here are some tips that may help you: 1. If you are staying far away and need to take a bus, we recommend using a ride-hailing service. We do not recommend taking the bus, as most buses do not have air conditioning. The weather in late July is still quite hot, and some bus routes have older buses with strong brakes. In addition, the routes are long, and the chances of getting a seat are low, so you may have to stand in the bus for an exciting ride. 2. Be sure to make a reservation in advance on the official WeChat account. Although it is not as difficult to get a ticket as at some popular museums (such as the National Museum of China, Shaanxi History Museum, and Gansu Provincial Museum), it is very unlikely that you will be able to make a reservation at the door on the day of your visit if you do not book in advance. 3. The museum releases a large number of tickets, which means there are many visitors. In addition, there are many summer study tour groups, so the museum is crowded. If possible, it is best to schedule your visit in the morning, and we recommend going early to avoid most of the crowds. Taking a photo at the entrance is important, but you don't have to rush. You can take a photo when you leave, when there are fewer people and better angles. 4. Be sure to get a visitor guide at the service desk to help you navigate the museum. Otherwise, it is easy to get lost, and some exhibits are exquisite and easy to miss. It is almost impossible to go back, and if you try to find a certain exhibit later, you may not be able to get close to it. 5. There is no need to rent an audio guide. The museum's official WeChat account has all the audio guide content in a mini program, which is exactly the same as the audio guide. So, before you go, make sure your Bluetooth headphones are fully charged, or bring a wired headset. 6. If you like the museum's fridge magnets, be sure to buy them at the museum, as well as at other attractions in Xinjiang. The same fridge magnets are sold for CNY 39 each at the museum, but may cost CNY 50–60 at the attractions, and CNY 45 on Taobao. So, don't miss out. If you read online guides that recommend buying them at Jinquan Mall, note that the metal ones are not available there, and Uncle Nang at the Grand Bazaar does not have them either.