Do you need to reserve, and is it free?
Yes, you need to reserve. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆) asks all visitors to make a real-name reservation through its official WeChat account. That includes minors and visitors eligible for preferential policies. A passport is accepted as the document.
The Tour Guide page and the 2026 notices do not state a ticket price, and they do not say that entry is free. Only the Liji Lane hall page says visitors are admitted free of charge (免费参观) after the reservation check. That statement is about the Liji Lane hall only.
How to reserve with a foreign passport
- Open WeChat and follow the official account named 侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆. The 2026 notices name it as the only reservation channel.
- In the account, tap 纪念馆预约 (Memorial Hall Reservation) at the lower left and choose the hall you want to visit.
- Choose a date and a morning or afternoon slot, and enter the visitor details from your document.
- On the day, bring the original of the document you booked with. The 2026-09-17 notice says visitors are checked at entry against the original reservation document and the booked time slot.
Valid documents on the Tour Guide page are the second-generation resident ID card, the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, the passport, and the Foreigner's Permanent Residence Card, followed by "etc.". The Tour Guide page and the 2026 notices do not describe how a passport is read at the gate.
The Tour Guide page and the two 2026 notices name only the WeChat account. They do not mention a website or mini-programme booking, and they do not say what a visitor without WeChat should do. The reservation is made inside WeChat; a separate guide covers WeChat account set-up.
The hall says it has not authorised any third-party organisation or individual to take reservations for visitors, and that behaviour disrupting the reservation order may lead to restrictions on booking. We do not take bookings for this hall.
Three exhibition halls: separate reservations and where each one is
The Tour Guide page says the three exhibition halls require separate reservations. The 2026-07-06 notice adds that you can only enter the hall you booked.
- Nanjing Massacre history exhibition (南京大屠杀史实展).
- The exhibition 正义必胜 和平必胜 人民必胜, subtitled 中国战区反法西斯战争胜利暨审判日本战犯史实展, on the anti-fascist victory in the China theatre and the trial of Japanese war criminals. The Tour Guide page calls it the ‘Three Prevails’ hall.
- Nanjing Museum of the Site of Liji Lane Sex Slaves Station (南京利济巷慰安所旧址陈列馆).
According to the notices of 2026-07-06 and 2026-09-17, the first two halls are next to each other, near Yunjin Road station on Metro Line 2, but their entrances are at different places. The Liji Lane hall is far from them, near Daxinggong station on Metro Line 2, and has a single entrance. When you book, check which hall you are choosing.
How far ahead can you book, and which time slots are there?
You can book 1-7 days ahead. Tickets are released every day at 8:00 Beijing time, which is 00:00 UTC. There are two sessions:
- Morning: 8:30-12:30. Entry can be delayed until 13:00.
- Afternoon: 12:30-16:30. Entry can be advanced to 12:00.
The Liji Lane hall opens at 9:00 in the morning session. The notice of 2026-07-06 asks visitors to enter within their booked slot.
Limits on entries and bookings
You can enter the hall once on the day of your visit. Each visitor may make one reservation per month. The Tour Guide page does not say whether that limit counts per hall or in total, so work out your plan before you book.
One WeChat account can bind up to 10 visitors and book up to 5 people per order (notices of 2026-07-06 and 2026-09-17).
How to cancel, and what happens if you do not show up
If you cannot come on time, the Tour Guide page says you must cancel in the WeChat account under 纪念馆预约 - 我的 - 历史订单 (in English: Memorial Hall Reservation - My - Order History).
- You can cancel once per day and at most 4 times per month.
- A morning-slot booking can be cancelled before 13:00 on the same day.
- An afternoon-slot booking can be cancelled before 17:30 on the same day.
If you do not enter during your booked slot and have not cancelled, this may affect your future reservations. The Tour Guide page does not say whether a cancelled place goes back on sale.
Opening hours, closing day and holiday changes
The standing hours on the Tour Guide page, which carries no date, are 8:30-17:30, with last admission at 16:30. The Liji Lane hall opens at 9:00. The memorial is closed every Monday, except on national statutory holidays.
Dated hours, not the standing hours
The notice published 2026-09-17 set 8:30-18:00, with last entry at 17:00, for 25-27 September and 1-7 October 2026. The notice published 2026-07-06 set the same hours from 1 July to 1 September 2026, Tuesday to Sunday. These were dated changes for those periods. The hall posts such changes on its notices page, so check it before a holiday.
Fully booked? What the hall says about extra places
The notices of 2026-07-06 and 2026-09-17 explain that the daily quota cannot meet demand. They say all places are released through the official WeChat account, that it is the only reservation channel, and that there are no extra places on site. The notices describe on-site registration for specific groups, such as serving military personnel; the 2026 gaokao candidate route was available only from 18 June to 1 September 2026. On-site registration is not an option for ordinary visitors.
The Tour Guide page and the 2026 notices do not give a separate route for a foreign visitor who finds the account fully booked. Release time is 8:00 daily for the 1-7 day window, so that is the moment to look.
Children
Children need a reservation. Under-14s cannot book alone. In the account, choose 纪念馆预约, choose the hall, then tap 亲子预约 (parent-child booking). Each order covers up to 5 people and must include at least one adult aged 18 or over and one child under 14. If the adult cancels, the linked child orders lapse, and a child's order takes effect once the adult has entered. The Liji Lane hall does not offer parent-child booking, and its page says visitors must be 14 or older.
Metro: which exit and which gate
The main halls are at 418 Shuiximen Street, Nanjing (南京市水西门大街418号), according to the Contact page. For the Nanjing Massacre history exhibition, take Metro Line 2 to Yunjin Road (云锦路) station, leave by Exit 2 and enter through Gate No. 1. On national statutory holidays and at peak visitor times, the Tour Guide page says to leave by Exit 3 and enter through Gate No. 1.
For the Liji Lane hall at 2 Liji Lane, Qinhuai District, the hall's route article of 2023-08-10 gives Metro Line 2 or Line 3 to Daxinggong (大行宫) station, Exit 3, then Taiping South Road and Ke Lane to the south gate. That article also describes a pre-check queue on Shuiximen Street for the history exhibition, and says the underground car park under the 正义必胜 hall is open first to visitors with a reservation that day. It dates from 2023, so check the route on the day.
Luggage, strollers and phone numbers
- Luggage: Large luggage (wheeled suitcases) must be stored. Small items such as backpacks and handbags can go into the halls. Storage is 3 yuan per piece, and you collect before 17:00 the same day.
- Strollers and wheelchairs: free to borrow at the service desks of the Historical Materials Exhibition Hall and the "Three Prevails" hall, with a 500 yuan deposit and a valid ID. Return them before 17:00.
- Not allowed in: the Tour Guide page lists items including knives, lighters and other flammable items, and banners, placards or flags that may disrupt the order of visitation. Liquids are on the list too; packaged drinks may be taken in after you taste them.
- Enquiries: 025-86612230 (the 2026 notices give 8:00-20:00).
- Complaints: 025-86898620, Tuesday to Sunday 8:00-20:00.
- Liji Lane hall enquiries: 025-58598353, Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-17:00 (Liji Lane page, no date).
For an overview of the city, see our Nanjing travel guide.
