At the Magao Grottoes in northwestern China’s Gansu Province, a $50 million “digital exhibition center” opened in September 2014.
Also known as Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, this Silk Road site in the Gobi Desert dates back 1,600 years and comprises almost 500 caves covered in Buddhist murals and holding more than 2,000 sculptures.
Before taking a shuttle to the grottoes, visitors will visit the center to see two 20-minute films (one IMAX-like and the other on a domed screen) on the caves’ history and contents. Before the center opened, guides always introduced visitors to the caves. Competing guides and groups caused lengthy waiting times and high noise levels inside. The number of visitors now will be limited to 6,000 per day, with tours each lasting 75 minutes.
April 1-Oct. 31, tickets cost CNY160 (near $26) or, with an English guide, CNY180. Nov. 1-March 31, tickets cost CNY80/CNY100. Digital center entry, CNY60. Visits must be booked at least seven days in advance for individuals, 15 for groups, and can be booked online at www.mgk.org.cn (in Chinese only).
Similar articles
-
March 2022
Enjoying meals, museums and mariachi in central Mexico
-
February 2022
Rick Steves’ Europe: Cold War memories in Budapest
-
February 2022
Rick Steves’ Europe: York: Vikings, bygone days, and a ruined abbey
-
October 2021
Feeling blue in Mississippi
-
September 2021
A compelling look, from two perspectives, at Israel’s complex history and life there today
-
October 2013
Snow and ice – enjoying the winter festivals of China and Japan