China Guide
The Northwest
The Inner Mongolia Museum
Opening time: Daily 9am–5pm (but often closed for the first 20 days of April)
Price: ¥10
Address: Cnr of Xinhua Dajie and Hulunbei'er Lu (bus #3)
The Inner Mongolia Museum is well worth a visit. In the downstairs exhibition, there's a large display of ethnic Mongolian items, such as costumes, saddles, long leather coats and cummerbunds, as well as hunting and sporting implements, including hockey sticks and balls. There's also a good paleontology display, with complete fossils of a woolly rhinoceros and a sizeable dinosaur. Upstairs are interesting maps and objects detailing the exploits of Genghis Khan, and the huge Mongol empire of the thirteenth century. While there are some English explanations, if you're truly keen on grasping the significance of the display, check in at the main office behind the ticket desk, where the curator speaks English and may be willing to give you a tour.