The Chaoyang Museum covers the city's long history from the Hongshan culture through the Liao Dynasty, complementing the more specialist Geopark museum with a broader historical context. Displays include Bronze Age artefacts from local digs, Northern Yan Dynasty bronzes, and Liao Dynasty ceramics and metalwork from the region's Buddhist complexes.
The museum is smaller than its counterpart in Shenyang but benefits from being close to its source material — most of what is displayed here came from within the prefecture. The Liao Dynasty section is particularly well-developed, given the city's significance as a Liao cultural centre. Admission is free with passport or Chinese ID.