Baiheliang Underwater Museum
Why visit here?
Located in Fuling, Chongqing, Baiheliang Underwater Museum is the world’s first non-diving accessible underwater museum, built to preserve the ancient Baiheliang stone beam submerged after the Three Gorges Project. The 1,600-meter stone beam features 165 inscriptions, 18 stone fish, and poems by literati from the Tang Dynasty (764 AD) onward, recording 72 years of low-water levels. Known as the "World’s First Ancient Hydrological Station" and "Underwater Stele Forest", it combines scientific, historical and artistic value. The museum consists of an onshore exhibition hall and an underwater viewing corridor, allowing visitors to appreciate original inscriptions through 23 observation windows 40 meters underwater.
Pros & Cons
- World’s Only Underwater Museum: The first museum enabling in-situ viewing of ancient relics 40 meters underwater without diving, a global engineering and cultural milestone.
- Preserves 165 inscriptions documenting 72 low-water years since the Tang Dynasty, critical for Yangtze hydrology and climate research.
- Adopts the "pressure-free container" technology to protect relics in situ, a model for cultural heritage preservation.
- Combines an onshore exhibition hall (historical context) and an underwater corridor (immersive viewing), offering comprehensive cultural insights.
- 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30), closed Mondays except holidays; book 1-7 days in advance via official WeChat.
- Visitors with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, epilepsy or mental illnesses are not allowed in the underwater corridor.
- Flashlights, laser pointers and strong light are prohibited to avoid stone erosion; no tapping or leaning on observation windows.
- Only 1,000 visitors daily; arrive early on workdays to avoid crowds and ensure a smooth experience.
- The underwater corridor maintains a constant 18°C; bring a thin jacket for comfort.
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Baiheliang Underwater Museum
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