Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders stands at 418 Shuiximen Street in Jianye District, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. It commemorates the killing of civilians and prisoners of war that followed the Japanese capture of Nanjing in December 1937, and it was built on a burial site where the remains of victims were found. The memorial opened in 1985 and was substantially expanded in 1995 and again in 2007. The complex combines outdoor sculpture, a burial pit, a museum and a peace park. Visitors pass memorial statues and stone walls inscribed with the number 300,000, a widely cited estimate of victims, and walk through a courtyard with a bronze sculpture of a mourning mother. The main museum is largely underground and holds photographs, documents, testimony and artefacts, including a display of victim remains in an excavated burial pit. Exhibits describe the events, the international Safety Zone established by foreigners who protected civilians, and postwar trials. The tone is sombre and solemn, and the visit is affecting; visitors are expected to be quiet and respectful. A visit generally takes two to three hours, longer for those who read the exhibits in detail. Entry is free but crowds are heavy on weekends and around the 13 December national memorial day, when ceremonies take place. Weekday mornings are best for an unhurried visit. Tickets can be booked through the memorial's WeChat mini-program, and passports are checked at entry. The memorial is closed on Mondays except on national holidays, with last entry at 4:00 PM. The nearest station is Yunjinlu on Line 2, a five-minute walk. The museum provides English information in many areas, and audio guides are available. Photography is restricted in some exhibition areas, and visitors should follow posted rules.