Cultural guide to Sanya's museums

During the National Day holiday, enhance your Sanya trip by exploring its vibrant culture. Besides natural sights, visit museums and exhibitions for insights into history, nature, and art. 

1. Sanya Natural Museum 

Located inside the 5A-rated scenic spot - Sanya Daxiao Dongtian, this museum exhibits 580 fossils from 130-140 million years ago, including rare pterosaurs, Confuciusornis sanctus, and psittacosaurus. Immersive sound and light installations vividly recreate the prehistoric world. 

Sanya Natural Museum. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]

2. Sanya Shanhaibei Shell Culture Museum 

As Hainan's first giant clam museum, it displays nearly 5,000 artifacts, including relics, shell currencies, and handicrafts. Temporary exhibitions include: 

- Modern Masters' Painting &Calligraphy Exhibition (until Oct 18) 

- Red Memory: Stamps Through History (until Oct 18) 

A family-friendly workshop on pearl wind-chime DIY will be held on Oct 5. 

A shell is exhibited at the Sanya Shanhaibei Shell Culture Museum. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]

3. Sanya Nanshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum 

Discover Li ethnic culture, Hainan folk arts, and a Nepalese handicrafts exhibit. An interactive zone features bamboo weaving and paper-cutting. 

An aerial view of the Sanya Nanshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]  

4. Sanya CBD Cultural Art Center 

Catch the 2025 Sanya International New Art Forms Exploration Annual Exhibition before Sept 30. Themed "Future Art·Cross-boundary Co-creation", it blends technology, ecology, and mixed-media installations.