The Terracotta Warriors Museum - About Us

The Terracotta Warriors Museum in Dorchester, Dorset, is one of the only museums outside China exclusively dedicated to the amazing Terracotta Warriors. All the terracotta warriors displayed in the museum have been specially made for exhibition by the technicians of the Lintong Museum Cultural Relic Workshop, Xian, China, as well as workshops of the China National Arts & Crafts Corporation, Xian. Other terracotta warriors were specially created for the display in the museum workshops of World Heritage as were the costumed figures of the First Emperor and General Meng Tian together with the reconstructions of the armour, weapons and costumes.

Your own piece of history. Prices on Terracotta gift sets start from as low as £9.00The discovery of the terracotta warriors has gripped the imagination of people around the world. Those who have been fortunate to make the journey to the site at Xian in Shaanxi Province will never forget the experience. An experience which is now open to all who visit the museum.

Complementing the display of terracotta warriors is the imposing costumed figure Qin Shi Huang di - the first emperor of China with General Meng Tian. Both are in full costume and accompanied by other examples of recreated costume and armour representative of what would have been worn by the Royal Guard. In addition to this a reconstruction of part of an excavation scene shows a small section of one of the pits giving an idea how the figures were gradually unearthed from the soil. A journey through Chinese history illustrated with antiquities covering two millennia takes the visitor back to the time of Qin Shi Huang di. Multimedia and audio presentations inform and entertain. There is also an Advance Guard of half-size terracotta warriors representative of the many different types of the terracotta army.

The displays have been specially designed and created to tell the story of the terracotta warriors and their discovery, and to give a glimpse of the China of 2200 years ago. Some of the Warriors in the Museum have previously been displayed in major exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, Hampton Court and Jersey.

The Terracotta Warriors Museum displays are in 9 sections

• 1. Discovery
• 2. The Excavation - this display of a small section of figures in one of the pits gives some idea how they were gradually unearthed from the soil.
• 3. A journey through Chinese history illustrated with antiquities covering two millennia.
• 4 & 5. General Meng Tian and Qin Shi Huangdi, the First Emperor of China.
• 6. The Armoury - costumes & armour of the warriors.
• 7. Advance Guard - a group of half size terracotta warriors.
• 8. The life-size Terracotta Warriors, comprising Unarmoured Warrior and Crossbowman. Longbowman and Cavalryman. Three Crossbowmen and a Charioteer. Officer and General.
• 9. Stable boy excavated from a separate pit near the Emperor's tomb at Mount Li.

Click the "Get Your Voucher" button to print a voucher entitling you to a 50p discount on Terracotta Warriors Museum tickets.

© 2008 A World Heritage Museum.

Home | Chinese Cook Book | Xian City | Terracotta Army Discovery | Terracotta Warriors Museum
Museum Information | Terracotta Army Shop | World Heritage | Mummies of the Pharaohs | Dinosaur Museum
Tutankhamun Exhibition | Tutankhamun Shop | TeddyBear House | Great Days Out UK