Baiheliang Underwater Museum, Underwater archaeological museum in Fuling District, China
The Baiheliang Underwater Museum sits beneath the Yangtze River surface and makes ancient stone blocks with inscriptions accessible to visitors. Walkways with glass walls let you view these historical rock carvings in their submerged setting.
Before a major hydroelectric project flooded the area, this site lay exposed on a river ridge. The submersion prompted the creation of the museum to preserve the ancient markers that would otherwise have been lost.
The stone inscriptions here document how people monitored and understood the river's behavior across many centuries. They reveal a long tradition of marking important natural cycles and observations for future generations.
Access involves descending through a system that brings you several levels down beneath the water surface. Watch for slippery surfaces and follow marked routes to safely navigate through the submerged sections.
The structure uses a special pressure system filled with treated water to protect the stones from damage while letting visitors view them. This engineering approach allows ancient objects to remain in their original location and still be observed.
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