How to Visit the Chinggis Khaan Museum in Ulaanbaatar

Located behind Sukhbaatar Square, the Chinggis Khaan Museum isn’t to be missed when visiting Ulaanbaatar. Open everyday in the summer from 9:00 to 20:00 (final entrance at 19:00).

After years of anticipation, including a groundbreaking ceremony held in 2020, the long anticipated Chinggis Khaan Museum has finally opened its doors to the public.

Covering more than 2,000 years of Mongolian history through a display of more than 11,000 artifacts – 92% of which are original – the museum aims to preserve and promote not only the country’s most famous emperor, but also his successors, and the development of the country and its people over the years.

The museum sprawls itself elegantly over eight floors, each floor covering a different period in history and a ninth floor domed area will soon be home to a VIP section where a Chinggis Khaan statue is in the progress of being made and imported from Italy (according to one of the museum docents).

The museum is located where the former Natural History Museum was located and is easily recognized thanks to the dome structure on the roof as well as the seals of the five Khaans of the Great Mongolian Empire (Chinggis, Ugedei, Guyug, Mönkh, and Arigböh) admirably marking the museum’s entrance.

The Chinggis Khaan Museum is a beautiful new addition to the city and is easily one of the best museums in Ulaanbaatar. A visit to the museum should be added to every traveler’s Mongolia itinerary.

First time Visiting Mongolia? Here's Where to Start

Understanding how things work in Mongolia can be confusing. Here are some things I’d book for my first trip to the country.

🚕 Airport Transfer into Ulaanbaatar

Book your airport transfer before you land. Ulaanbaatar taxis are chaotic and this is worth the peace of mind.

→ Book an Airport Transfer

🛌 Where to Stay

My picks at every budget, all within walking distance of the main square:

→ Hostel One: best hostel in the city for solo travelers

→ Urgoo Hotel: locally owned boutique spot, great value and location

→ H9 Hotel Nine: steps from Sukhbaatar Square, ideal for first-time visitors

→ Best Western Premier Tuushin: 4-star hotel next to Sukhbaatar Square, super comfortable

👉 Make the Most of Your Time in Ulaanbaatar

If you have extra days, these are the day tours and 1-day experiences that start and end in Ulaanbaatar I’d actually recommend:

→ Ulaanbaatar: Private Guided City Tour with Car

→ Cooking Class in a Local Home

→ Mongolian Traditional Dance & Music Concert Ticket

→ Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue & Terelj National Park

→ Ulaanbaatar: Private Nomad Horseback Ride + Homemade Lunch

→ Day Tour with Traditional Clothes and Photographer

What Exhibitions are at the Chinggis Khaan Museum in Ulaanbaatar?

The exhibitions inside the Chinggis Khaan Museum cover more than 2,000 years of history surrounding the Mongolian Empire. You can find artifacts that include clothing, saddles, deer stones, ger recreations, and more. Paintings and life-size khans make up some of the more interesting corners of the museum.

Other highlights include:

Mongolia’s Ancient States (Hunnu, Xianbei, Juan)
Ancient Nomadic States (Ottoman, Uighur, Hyatan)
Great Mongol State
Mongol Empire
Chinggis Khaan as well as other Kings and Nobles from the XIV to XX century
and a Mongolian Pride Hall

The artifact and display information are written in Mongolian (using Cyrillic letters), as well as Mongol bichig, the ancient traditional script written in vertical lines and read from top to bottom, left to right.

QR codes can be scanned to get additional information in English and Russian, requiring a phone and internet connection, if you’re interested in reading this information during your visit.

Guided tours in English are available but should be booked in advance by calling +976-70212222. The price for a guided tour is 100,000₮ (up to nine people).

Don't Miss the Giant Golden Chinggis Khaan Statue

A mistake I made when the Hall of the Great Khaan opened was that I thought this exhibit was included with the permanent collection ticket. That, however, is wrong.

To see the giant gold statue of Chinggis Khaan on the museum’s ninth floor, you can either purchase a ticket to this exhibit for 20,000 tugrik, or bundle it with your permanent exhibition hall ticket for 45,000 tugrik.

The Golden Statue of Chinggis Khaan shouldn’t be missed, this 7.5-meter-tall masterpiece was crafted in Italy and gilded with 7 kilograms of pure gold extracted from Mongolian soil. Be sure to take the time to take in all the small details of the statue, from the state seal Khasbu he holds in his right hand to the tiger skin under his left foot representing the pacification of empires to establish statehood.

Photos with your phone are allowed and you’ll be asked to put shoe covers on when you enter. When you go to exit, don’t do what I did and turn your back to the Great Khaan. Instead, step backwards slowly until you reach the exit, never turning your back and showing disrespect to Mongolia’s most feared and renowned leader.

Where is the Chinggis Khaan Museum Located?

You can find the location for the Chinggis Khaan Museum on Google Maps.

The museum sits behind Suukhbaatar Square and the Parliament Building and is on the same street as the Mongolian National Museum. The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum, Central Dinosaur Museum of Mongolia, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery, and State Opera and Ballet Academic Theater are also nearby.

Near the museum you also have plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars for a pre or post-museum meal or snack.

Walk to the nearby Tourist Street and have lunch on the patio at Route 22 or opt for something healthy at Greeno just two doors down. For more ideas on where to eat in the city, read our Ulaanbaatar restaurant guide.

How much are tickets to the Chinggis Khaan Museum?

Tickets are required for every person entering the museum, and you’ll need to scan them on the way in as well as on the way out. Basically, don’t lose it.

Ticket prices are 30,000 tugrik for adults, 15,000 tugrik for students, and free for children 0 – 16 years of age.

If you’d like to take photos inside the museum, photo permits are 50,000 tugrik.

Tickets can be purchased from the self-serve kiosk or from the ticket counter. Coats and large bags will need to be stored in one of the cupboards next to the ticket counter.

The museum has elevators and escalators, allowing for visitors of all ages and abilities to navigate their way through the museum’s nine floors with ease.

What are the opening hours of the Chinggis Khaan Museum?

The museum’s summer hours begin May 15 and end September 14. During the summer hours, the museum is open every day of the week from 9:00 until 20:00. The last tickets to enter will be issued at 19:00.

The museum’s winter hours go into effect September 15 through May 14. In the winter, the museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00 and is closed on Tuesdays.

Are you visiting Mongolia for the first-time and stuck in the planning process?

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This Mongolia digital travel guide costs $9.99 and will help you answer the questions:

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And who to book your trip with!

Author: Breanna Wilson

Hi! Sain uu! I’m Breanna, an American travel writer and adventurer living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for more than 5 years. I’ve written for and been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, CNN, Forbes, and the New York Times, among others. Read more of my Mongolia travel articles here.