Underground museum of ancient tombs in Xinjiang wins at MUSE Design Awards 2024

An underground museum of the Wei and Jin dynasties' (220-420) ancient tombs in Kuqa county, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, won the Gold award of the MUSE Design Awards 2024, known as the "Oscars of the design world."

Photo shows the underground museum of the Wei and Jin dynasties' (220-420) ancient tombs in Kuqa County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (File photo)

The in-situ museum is built on the site of brick tomb chambers of the Sixteen Kingdoms period, which were discovered in 2007. Designed by the Tsinghua Heritage Institute for Digitization, it is the first digital museum of an ancient tomb site in Xinjiang.

The museum opened to the public on July 15 this year and showcases 15 fully excavated brick tomb chambers.

The ancient tombs are displayed underground. The designers created the entrance as a terraced plaza that connects with city streets, featuring a gentle slope and an open space.

Inside the museum, various low-carbon, energy-efficient lighting facilities such as LED photoelectric glass and starlight lamps are used to create an atmospheric visual environment.

Photo shows a night view of the museum. (File photo)

"To help visitors gain a more comprehensive understanding of the ancient tombs, we've incorporated extensive multimedia digital imagery in our exhibitions," said Feng Wei, deputy head of the museum.

"Visitors can view actual footage of the site's discovery and excavation, introductions to unearthed artifacts, and explanations from archaeological experts. Through digitally deconstructed projections, they can observe the internal structure of the brick chambers and their construction methods," Feng explained.

Since its opening to the public, the museum has received high praise from both domestic and international visitors for its excellent interior and exterior architectural design, rich exhibitions, and easily navigable viewing spaces.

A digital display of the ancient tombs in the museum. (File photo)

The ancient tombs are the only brick chamber tomb group discovered in Xinjiang to date. The group serves as a typical example of the diversity within Chinese civilization, providing valuable insights into the management of the Western Regions by the central government during that time period, as well as the local political, economic, and cultural conditions.

The MUSE Design Awards, organized by the American Alliance of Museums and the International Awards Associate, is one of the most influential international awards in the global architecture and design field.

The awards are presented annually with a highly rigorous evaluation system and exceptionally high assessment standards. It places significant emphasis on projects' academic value, innovation and creativity, social education function, and cultural inclusiveness.