Chinahasanancientcivilizationwithaverylonghistory.Understandingitsolelythroughthestudyofdocumentsisclearlyinadequate.AwealthofobjectsandremainshasbeenpreservedonChinasvastterritoryandunderground;muchofwhichhasbeencollectedandisexhibitedinvariouskindsofmuseums.Thisrawmaterialofhistorycan，inacertainsense，beconsideredmorevaluableforourunderstandingofthepastofChinathandocumentsandhistoricalrecords.Amongthesixty-onemuseumsselectedforthisbook，manyhavebeendesignatedaskeyprotectedculturalsitesbyChina.SomehavebeenincludedintheUNESCOListofWorldCulturalHeritageSites.Wehopethatthisvolumecanservevisitorsasaguidetounderstandingthesemuseums.