Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre stands at 418 Shuiximen Street in Jianye District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, and documents the killing of civilians and prisoners of war by the Japanese army following the fall of Nanjing in December 1937. The memorial was built in 1985 on a site where mass graves were found and has been expanded several times, most recently in 2007. The complex combines open-air memorial spaces, sculptures, an exhibition hall and a burial-ground display. Visitors pass a plaza with stone sculptures and a wall inscribed with the number of victims, then enter the exhibition hall through a series of galleries that use photographs, documents, survivor testimonies and artefacts to trace the events. A glass-covered excavation pit displays human remains from the mass grave, and a memorial hall at the end offers a moment for reflection. The tone is sombre and the content is graphic, so the museum is not recommended for young children. Allow about two hours, and more if reading the testimonies in detail. The exhibits carry English translations for major panels, and audio guides are available at the entrance. Entry is free, but foreign visitors must reserve a time slot online and bring a passport. Weekday mornings are calmer, whereas 13 December, the national memorial day, and school group days can be very crowded. Visitors are expected to dress modestly, remain quiet and avoid loud conversation. The site is reached by Metro Line 2 to Yunjin Road Station, Exit 3, and lies close to the Qinhuai riverside district.