Opium War Museum

Located in Humen Town in Dongguan, the Opium War Museum is where the historical materials and the relics of Lin Zexu destroying opium and the Opium Wars (1840-1842 and 1856-1860) are preserved, exhibited and researched. Lin (1785-1850) was a great patriotic politician and poet in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). He destroyed about 1,188,127 kilograms (2,619,372 pounds) of opium at Humen Beach in 1839. Now, it is regarded as a National AAAA Tourist Attraction as well as one of the one hundred National Patriotism Education Base Models.

Being also called Humen Lin Zexu Memorial Hall, the Opium War Museum comprises three scenic areas: the museum itself; the Shajiao Emplacement; the Weiyuan Emplacement. Shajiao and Weiyuan Emplacements are situated in Shajiao Community and Weiyuan Island in Humen.

In the museum, the Exhibition Building is the main attraction. Encompassing a total area of about 2,400 square meters (0.5 acre), the building is built like an emplacement. It mainly displays an exhibition on the history of Lin Zexu destroying opium and the Opium Wars. The exhibition can be divided into eight parts: the circumstances in China before the first Opium War; the import of opium to China; Lin Zexu destroying opium; Britain launching the Opium War; people in Guangdong and other coastal provinces fighting against the British forces; the end of the Opium War and Chinese people's anti-invasion activities. The ancient relics are also exhibited there, such as the opium smoking sets, the couplets and the slogans written by Lin Zexu, the cannons, the swords and the long spears used to fight against British invaders as well as the arms captured from the invaders. Among those relics, 13 are first level ones under state protection.

Modern technologies including sand table, sound, light and electricity models have been applied to the inside exhibition. The application of those advanced technologies makes the exhibition more vivid and interesting. Therefore, visitors can have a better understanding of the Opium Wars.

Other attractions in the museum are the Statues of Humen People Fighting Against British Army, the Ancient Cannons, the Bronze Statue of Lin Zexu, the Monument to the Destruction of Opium and the Sites of Two Pools where Lin Zexu destroyed opium.

The Shajiao Emplacement and the Weiyuan Emplacement are the important historical sites of the Opium Wars. Tourists can go there to appreciate the ancient cannons and emplacements and recall the scene that Humen people fought against with the foreign invaders during the Opium Wars.