The Hulunbuir Museum in central Hailar covers the natural history, archaeology, and cultural heritage of the prefecture — one of the largest administrative divisions in China. The natural history sections are solid, with good exhibits on the steppe ecosystem, the region's mammal and bird fauna, and the geology of the Hulunbuir basin. The cultural sections cover the multiple ethnic groups that have lived here: Mongolian, Ewenki, Daur, and Buryat communities all have their own displays.
The archaeological collection includes finds from Neolithic sites in the Hailar River valley, Bronze Age materials from the steppe, and artefacts from the various nomadic empires that controlled the region over the past two millennia. The museum also has good coverage of the Chinese Eastern Railway era — the early twentieth century, when Russian engineers built the trans-Manchurian railway line through Hailar and left architectural traces that are still faintly visible in some parts of the city. Free entry; signage is in Chinese and Mongolian with limited English.