The most famous and intriguing exhibit at the Xinjiang Regional Museum is the collection of naturally preserved mummies of people buried around 4,000 years ago across various locations in Xinjiang. The dry, salty conditions perfectly preserved these twenty-one men, women and children who have been discovered over a number of years. The ''Loulan Beauty'' is especially well preserved: even her eyelashes and hair are still intact. One of the most puzzling aspects of these mummies is that many show distinctly Caucasian features. They are wrapped in cloth unfamiliar to the area. Many theories have been put forward as to why these outsiders were resting in the northwestern Chinese salt-flats: maybe they were traders, bandits or even an unknown tribe of nomads. So far, no conclusive evidence has been found.
Less famous, but equally fascinating exhibits at the Xinjiang Regional Museum include excavated relics from the history of the Silk Road such as knives, tools and musical instruments, terracotta figures and weapons. The museum also has a Uygur house and some traditional Kazakh yurts. It has a collection of over 50,000 objects and an exhibition space of nearly 8000 square meters: it is acknowledged as a comprehensive and informative guide to the civilizations which have flourished in this area for millennia.
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