The museum, which doesn't keep the most reliable hours, is on the grounds of Chengtian Temple, which also goes by the name of its Xi Ta (West Pagoda). First erected in 1050, the pagoda did not survive Yinchuan's devastating 1739 earthquake. The existing pagoda dates from 1820, and visitors are allowed to climb the 11-story building.
The museum collection is divided into four parts, distributed among three buildings. The first two sections share a building and are devoted to the history, language, and relics of the Western Xia dynasty. Of all the sites in and around Yinchuan, these two rooms have the most helpful English explanations. The advantage to making this your first stop is a better understanding of the culture that is most connected with the out-of-town tombs and pagodas. The second building houses relics of the Communist revolution and has no English labeling. A third hall focuses on the Hui (Muslim) "nationality," and has only an English introduction.