Five Springs Mountain Park (Wuquan Shan Gongyuan)
The Five Springs Mountain Park (Wuquan shan gonyuan) is, along with it's neighbor Lanshan Park, a pretty area of mountain scenery, artificial temples and winding paths. These two spots will take up a good day and are a worthy rest away from the bustle of the strip of city that can be seen from below. The park is named after the five springs that can be found at the foot of the mountain, to the south of the city. A climb to the summit (by chairlift) offers a panoramic view of the whole city. There is a legend that Han Emperor Wudi sent General Huoqubing to defend his northern border which was under attack by Xiongnu in 120 BC. When the troops approached the Gaolan Hill with all soldiers thirsty and tired, they found that there was no water. General Huo was desperate to find the water himself, and when he whipped upon a stone with rage, five pure springs gushed out. Alternatively, another legend has it that this General stabbed his sword into the ground after finding no water for his horses or himself. The five springs erupted from here and are still flowing today. The highest one is called "Amrita Spring". Legend has it that anyone who drinks the water will become eternal. Another interesting spring is called "Moziquan (Spring of Son)". It rumored that at the bottom of this 10m deep cave are screes and tiles. People who retrieve the screes would get a son. Most of the buildings have been destroyed in warfare over the centuries, and there only remains the Hall of Adamantine, which was built in 1372. Inside there is enshrined a bronze statue of Adamantine, 5.3m in height. The park contains many temples and pavilions, mostly of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) origin, as well as tea-houses, art-exhibition halls and pools. Of these, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) Jingang Palace (Jingan gong) and Temple of Reverent Solemnity (Chongqing si) are the best. The first contains a magnificent 16ft bronze Buddha cast in 1370 AD, while the latter houses an ancient bronze bell, 10ft high and weighing 5 tons, that dates back to 1202 AD. The best time to come here would have to be during the summer months, when the temperature is almost always a few degrees cooler than the city. If action is your thing, there is an annual Temple Fair every year around mid-May (8th April by the traditional Chinese calendar). Locals celebrate with general festivity and a pretty flower exhibition. During the Spring Festival (Chun jie), the Chinese traditional New Year (near the start of February), a Lantern Festival takes place in the park. How to get there: From the railway station, first take trolley Bus #31 or 34 and get off at Wuquan Shan, the fourth stop (alternatively Bus #8 terminates here from Jiuquan lu). Walk west to Wuquan Lu. Turn left and walk about 750m to the ticket office of Wuquan Park. Opening hours: 06:00 - 18:00 daily.

Gansu Provincial Museum
The Gansu Provincial Museum (Gansusheng bowuguan), covering a total area of 16.5 acres, is the most impressive museum in the province. This is one of the best sights in the city, and for those who are in the western section of Lanzhou, a visit is well worthwhile. The museum complex is made up of three separate buildings linked by corridors, and further divided into two sections, a natural resources section downstairs and historical exhibits upstairs. There are altogether thirteen exhibiting halls here housing famous historical relics, minority relics and a number of rare or extinct animal specimens. The museum's exhibitions are all in English. Most archeological finds in the region of Hexi Corridor are kept here. It is well worth a visit. In the first exhibition hall is a collection of pottery bowls, vessels and agricultural tools from the Neolithic Period, some 8,000 years ago. The pottery objects from this earlier period feature tipped-bottom and round-jaws. Many bear the patterns of birds, frogs, flowers or leaves. Other distinct ones have geometric designs like a cross. Among them, pottery vessels of Majiayao Culture excavated from the region of the Yellow River Valley are the best. Geometric motifs like parallel lines, circles, crosses, and spirals (volutes) were used. The bronze Galloping Horse of Gansu, a 1,800 years old statue discovered only thirty years ago in a small town called Wuwei. The 14cm tall horse, with its procession of chariots and horses behind, recently made a tour of the US and Canada. The exhibition of the Silk Road, containing many treasures including Neolithic painted pottery that was excavated from the town of Dadiwan, whose ancient civilization is believed to span back some 7,000 years. Also of interest are Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Wooden Tablets, once used to relay messages along the road. A 1.5m high statue of a Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) warrior, made of a colored and then glazed earthenware. A gilded silver plate that portrays Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, that dates back some 2,000 years from the Eastern Roman Empire. Finally, for those into prehistoric presentations, the 4m tall Mammoth, whose remains were excavated from the Yellow River basin in 1973, is a fearsome sight. Address: 3 Xijin xilu. How to get there: Both Bus #1 and 31 take you there. The museum is directly across the street from the Friendship Hotel. Opening hours: 09:00 - 12:00 and 14:30- 17:00. Closed on Sunday. Cost: ¥25.