Suzhou 3~Suzhou Museum West Branch (Recommended)

Suzhou Museum's main branch is next to the Humble Administrator's Garden, where the Prince Zhong's Mansion and the Garden Museum are also located. Because the main branch requires a reservation a week in advance and is very popular, it was fully booked when we tried to make a reservation. However! The Suzhou Museum West Branch does not require a reservation! Special exhibitions are also free to visit without a reservation, so you can enjoy your time there. First Floor: Upon entering, there is an Assyrian exhibition with a few large stones. At first, I thought that was all the Assyrian exhibit had to offer. The Suzhou History Exhibition Hall mainly features ancient exhibits. Second Floor: Upon going upstairs, the first thing you see is the Suzhou Craft Hall (which we briefly appreciated later), but we went directly to the Assyrian Hall. The Assyrian Hall mainly features the special exhibition "The King of Assyria: Ashurbanipal." This exhibition tells the extraordinary story of Ashurbanipal through cuneiform clay tablets from his palace and library, as well as numerous artifacts excavated by archaeologists in the Mesopotamian region. The innovative display and new discoveries narrate the turbulent story of Ashurbanipal's reign, the splendor of his palace and library, the disastrous rebellion of his brother, and his ruthless suppression of all rebels. The final unit of the exhibition looks to the future, aiming to protect the country's history for future generations, including the story of Ashurbanipal. Ashurbanipal was the last great king of Assyria, with the Assyrian heartland located in what is now Iraq. In the 7th century BC, during his reign, the Assyrian Empire reached its peak, covering a vast area from Egypt to western Iran. His capital, Nineveh (now within Mosul), was the largest city of its time. The exquisite stone reliefs that decorated the walls of his palace are among the most important exhibits in the British Museum. These reliefs showcase Ashurbanipal's prowess as a ruler, including his military victories and spectacular royal lion hunts. (My brother remarked: Lions 🦁 were once on the brink of extinction ) The third floor features an exhibition of new Suzhou-style works, which we only quickly toured. It would be exhausting to look at everything in detail, but the rest seats at the Suzhou Museum West Branch are quite luxurious. Free admission without reservation, highly recommended. It is expected to be on display until next summer, similar to the Egyptian exhibition in Shanghai. However, the Egyptian exhibition in Shanghai costs 148 yuan, and tickets for the entire month are released on the 1st of each month and are quickly sold out. So, if you can't get a reservation for the Egyptian exhibition at the Shanghai Museum, why not visit the Assyrian Hall at the nearby Suzhou Museum West Branch?