What to do and see in Dongguan, Guangdong: The Best Specialty Museums

Reviewed By douglasm62 - Guangzhou, China

Before visiting this museum, we had visited WeiYuan Fort which is a short walk away in the same park. How SWMBO and I got to and into the park is in that review. Suffice to say that hopefully the travel and the park entrance procedures will simplify, especially for foreigners, over the next few months. There’s so much to see in this museum. It’s not just about naval battles, it’s a rather detailed history of military and social affairs from the late 1700’s to the beginning of the PRC in 1949. Then add in displays about the English Civil War (labelled as The British Bourgeois Revolution), the English monarchy, The French Revolution, The Industrial Revolution, scientific developments, navigation developments. Now add displays about nearly every battle in and around Humen with maps, of course there’s mention of the Opium Wars. Then add in the effects of the French, Russian, Americans, Japanese in China and especially the British. Even the transportation of convicts to Australia is there to show how nasty we Brits were. I mustn’t forget the failings of the Qing’s are also given a good airing. Lots of photographs, paintings, memorabilia and ephemera to keep your interest. All signage is in both Chinese and English. There’s a nice gift shop but unfortunately nothing specific to the Naval Museum or WeiYuan Fort just the usual tourist trinkets which was rather a pity. There’s no café in the museum and toilets are outside. There are places to sit and rest weary legs. I’d say at least two hours for a quick gander at the museum, or half-a-day if you’re a history buff but by then you’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of information presented. Even on my second visit I saw exhibits that I’d overlooked the first time. A visit will certainly give you some understanding of how many Chinese view their history and the present world. At 5 o’clock we took our leave and wandered out of the park. A leisurely stroll along the promenade to see the ships anchored in the distance waiting to unload at NanSha port. Then we jumped on the No. 238 bus and after a 30-minute journey were at the HuMen Bus Station. We had to wait another hour to get the 7 o’clock and last coach back to GuangZhou which took another hour and a quarter, and then a taxi home. The lady who was ushering us onto the coach to GuangZhou reckoned that this coach service will be axed by the end of the year as there’s just not enough passengers to justify a service. A couple of years ago there were four or five coaches a day both ways, now it’s just two. Next time I think we’ll take a train to DongGuan Railway Station, then the Donguan Rail Transit all the way to the Humen Railway Station, and then a No. 229 bus to the park. Alternatively get off at HuMen GaoTie station and get the No. 212 bus. Now that’s another journey to look forward to!