The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall is a thematic memorial hall built on the site of the Jiangdongmen Massacre during the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese army. It was officially completed and opened on August 15, 1985. After more than 30 years of construction and development, it has grown into a national first-class museum in China with a high international reputation.
The memorial hall currently includes three basic exhibitions: the Exhibition of the Historical Facts of the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese Army, the ‘Three Victories’ Theme Exhibition, and the ‘Sexual Slaves in World War II – The Japanese ‘Comfort Women’ System and Its Crimes Exhibition.’ These exhibitions showcase the history of the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese ‘Comfort Women’ system, and the great victory of the Chinese people’s resistance against Japanese aggression. Nearly 4,000 photos, 9,992 pieces of various cultural relics, and 262 video materials are displayed, intelligently and solemnly expressing the five major themes of atrocities, resistance, victory, judgment, and peace. Among them, the camera and video materials used by American missionary John Magee to record the historical images of the Nanjing Massacre have been included in the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
There are three sites of the ‘Massacre Pits’ of the Nanjing Massacre within the memorial hall, displaying the remains of the victims found in 1984, 1998-1999, and 2006. In December 2015, after the construction of the new ‘Three Victories’ exhibition hall and the branch hall, the former site of the Nanjing Li Ji Xiang ‘Comfort Station,’ the total area of the memorial hall reached 103,000 square meters, with a construction area of 57,000 square meters and an exhibition area of 20,000 square meters.The memorial hall is a comprehensive museum about the history of the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese “Comfort Women” system, and the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. A large number of cultural relics, photos, historical testimonies, video materials, archives, and sites provide a complete account of historical truth. Each year, funds are invested to assist groups such as survivors of the Nanjing Massacre, victims of the “Comfort Women” system, and veterans of the resistance war.
It is distributed with 7 squares, 23 single sculptures, a large combination sculpture, 8 walls of various forms, and 17 monuments of various shapes.
The hall is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday from 08:30 to 17:00; it is closed all day on Mondays; and during New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day, it is open from 08:30 to 17:00.
Mandatory tips for visitors:
1. Visitors are requested to maintain silence and solemnity, and not to make noise or disturb the peace; to cherish historical relics and not desecrate or damage national memorial facilities; to dress appropriately and not wear or carry clothing or logos that do not match the environment and atmosphere of the facilities; to obey organizational guidance and not disrupt public order.
2. To maintain solemnity and cleanliness, the exhibition area is prohibited from setting up stalls without permission, engaging in sales, entertainment, performances, begging, and other actions that may damage the environment and atmosphere of the venue, or violate public order and good customs.III. It is prohibited to bring flammable, explosive, toxic, radioactive, corrosive and other dangerous items that may endanger personal and property safety into the museum area.
IV. For activities such as exhibitions, performances, film and television drama shooting, live streaming, and interviews in the museum area, the consent of the memorial hall must be obtained.
V. No unit or individual is allowed to distort or deny the historical facts of the Nanjing Massacre, insult or slander the victims and survivors of the Nanjing Massacre, fabricate or spread remarks or information containing the above contents that damage the dignity of the country and nation and hurt people’s feelings, and infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests such as the names, portraits, and reputations of the victims and survivors of the Nanjing Massacre.
VI. In the museum area, it is prohibited to use military uniforms, flags, icons or related props with symbolic significance of Japanese militarism to take photos, record videos or publicly spread the above behaviors through the Internet.
VII. Whoever violates the above provisions, the museum has the right to dissuade and stop them. In serious cases, they will be reported to the public security organs for handling in accordance with the law.
