The central Chengzhong district around Zhongshan Street and the pedestrian shopping area is Xining's commercial and civic core. The streets between the Nanchuan River and the main railway station contain the mix of Islamic teahouses, Tibetan jewellery stalls, and Han Chinese shops that defines Xining's unique cultural character. The nightlife district along Liyuan Road is the most lively part of the city after dark.
The older parts of the district, particularly the streets around the former Xining garrison walls, retain some traces of the pre-modern city in the form of old courtyard houses and gate structures — largely rebuilt but preserving the street pattern. The Xining City Museum, a small but useful institution, is in this district and covers the city's history from its founding as a garrison town to its development as the plateau's largest city. Free entry.