The Revolutionary History Museum (Geming lishi jijian guan), not far from the Yangjialing Headquarters, is probably one of the best of its kind in China. Within are held a comprehensive collection of historical literature, graphs and photos dating from the establishment of the “United Front Against Japanese Invasion” to the opening of the Seventh General Conference of the Chinese Communist Party. This last date is of special importance, as it was the date when Mao was officially designated as Chairman of the revolutionary struggle (and the party).

The main hall houses a huge collection of artifacts from the 1930-50s, including genuine footballs, sewing machines, Marxist books by Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky translated into Chinese and hundreds of communist weapons. Especially noteworthy is a stuffed white horse that is said to have carried Mao, which is surprisingly now not to be found standing beside the Chairman in his Tian’anmen Mausoleum. Unfortunately none of the artifacts here bear English explanations.

How to get there: Take bus No.3 from the railway station. It is just a few minutes’ walk southeast from the Yangjialing Revolution Headquarters.
Cost: RMB10.
Opening hours: 8am-5pm, daily.