9.18 Historical Museum

The 9.18 Historical Museum is a war memorial museum in Shenyang that documents the Japanese occupation from 1931 to 1945. The complex houses several exhibition areas displaying objects, documents, and reconstructed scenes from that period.

The museum marks September 18, 1931, when an explosion near Liutiao Lake sparked the start of a 14-year occupation. This event led to control over Manchuria and fundamentally changed the region's course.

The galleries show how ordinary Chinese people lived and resisted during the occupation through personal objects and everyday photographs. You can see the ways communities adapted to life under foreign control.

The museum is accessible by public transport and visitors have adequate time to explore all areas. Guided tours are available to help with orientation and provide context for the exhibitions.

A granite memorial shaped like an open calendar stands 18 meters tall on the grounds with symbolic bullet holes. The monument was designed to represent the moment the regional conflict began.