MARQ announced extended Sunday opening hours to 20:00 as the Xi’an Warriors exhibition from the Qin and Han dynasties draws larger crowds than anticipated. The museum is preparing to say goodbye to one of its most visited international shows, marking the end of a landmark access period for international visitors and locals alike.
Visitors arrived in large numbers on the weekend, prompting an extension of the planned hours for the final day. The MARQ Foundation confirmed the museum would stay open from 10:00 to 20:00 on Sunday, January 28, to accommodate the surge and ensure both guest safety and the preservation of precious artifacts. This decision came after a strong turnout the day before, with thousands of enthusiasts converging on the exhibit to witness the famous Terracotta Army and related artifacts. The staff prioritized capacity management to guarantee a quality experience for everyone who waited in line for hours to enjoy the collection.
The crowds on Saturday exceeded expectations, and the museum leadership expressed gratitude for the public response while emphasizing safety and the protection of the pieces on display. Additional capacity allowances were made to welcome as many visitors as possible on the final day, ensuring that no one would miss the chance to explore the narrative of ancient China through these remarkable terracotta figures.
MARQ bids farewell to Xi’an Warriors with an open day
The Warriors of Xi’an drew record numbers, establishing a new benchmark for MARQ as the most visited international exhibition in the museum’s history. More than 260,000 visitors enjoyed the terracotta figures during a ten month run, a milestone that highlighted the global interest in China’s ancient heritage. The open days enabled reciprocal access and public appreciation beyond standard hours, helping many attendees connect with this extraordinary collection.
To support free public access, MARQ arranged open days on January 27 and 28 with extended hours. Visitors could tour three gallery rooms and engage with the displays curated for this project. The exhibition curated by Marcos Martinón-Torres, a professor at the University of Cambridge and a National Science Award recipient, has been celebrated for presenting the Mausoleum site and its ancient context with scholarly depth and engaging storytelling. This approach brought together researchers, curators, and the public in a shared experience of cultural discovery.
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The Xi’an Warriors exhibition, featuring more than 120 works from nine Chinese museums and cultural institutions, opened last March and has kept anticipation high throughout its run. The show traces the history of ancient China while weaving in insights from related archaeological research, dynastic changes, and the broader cultural exchange that defined early civilizations.
The timing of the exhibition was notable as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of Spain’s diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and the 49th anniversary of the discovery of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor. The event received coverage from national and international media and was attended by high-level cultural representatives, reinforcing MARQ’s role as a bridge between cultures and a hub for world-class archaeological storytelling. The success of the show underscores the museum’s commitment to making exceptional artifacts accessible to a broad audience while maintaining rigorous preservation standards.