The Overseas Chinese Museum is a building of national features with a building area of more than 3,000 square meters, displaying more than 7000 exhibits. The museum is presided and founded by Tan Kah-kee, a well-known leader of overseas Chinese, as well as countrymen residing abroad and returning overseas Chinese. It is started in 1956 and opened to the public in May of 1959.
The museum is divided into six sections, such as the production and development of overseas Chinese, tragedies of overseas Chinese before Liberation, the friendship between overseas Chinese and the people of the host countries, the contribution of overseas Chinese to the motherland, the past and present of the community of overseas Chinese, the review of policies of overseas Chinese.
It displays many cultural relics, handicrafts and specimen sources donated or invested in by many of these overseas Chinese, embodying the guiding thought of Tan Kah-kee that people should show respect for scientific and cultural information and make good use of its social consequences.
The whole museum has three exhibition halls with an exhibition area of 2400 square meters, displaying more than 1200 pieces of pictures and documentation of all sorts, about 2000 rare cultural relics, and more than 1000 pieces of specimens of various rare birds, beasts and aquatic products.
The other scenic spots in South Putuo Temple tourist area are Five Gentlemen Peak, Xiamen University, Jinshan Pine stone, Ring Island Road, etc.