Lüshun Russo-Japanese Prison Museum

The prison at Lüshun, on the tip of the Liaodong Peninsula near Dalian, was first built by Russia around 1902 during its lease of the territory, then greatly expanded by Japan after it took control following the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Under Japanese colonial administration it grew into one of the largest prisons in the region, with cell blocks, workshops, a hospital and execution facilities enclosed by a long high wall. Over the decades it held Chinese, Korean and other prisoners, many subjected to forced labour and harsh punishment; the Korean independence activist An Jung-geun was executed here in 1910, and large numbers of inmates died within its walls.

Given this history of confinement and death, the preserved cells, gallows and torture rooms leave many visitors deeply affected, and some speak of an oppressive atmosphere inside the older blocks. These are subjective reactions to a place of documented cruelty rather than evidence of anything supernatural, and the museum consistently presents the site through history and testimony.

As one of the best-preserved colonial-era prisons in East Asia, Lüshun holds real significance as physical evidence of imperialism and repression. It stands as a memorial to those imprisoned and killed here and as a resource for understanding a difficult shared regional past.

The former prison is preserved as the Lüshun Russo-Japanese Prison Site Museum, a designated heritage site open to the public, typically with free admission and set daytime hours that vary by season. Visitors can walk through the cell blocks, workshops, hospital and execution areas alongside exhibitions of documents, artefacts and photographs.

As a site of imprisonment, forced labour and execution, it is treated as a place of remembrance and education, and respectful conduct is expected throughout. Access to Lüshunkou has at times been subject to local regulations, so travellers are advised to confirm current opening hours, ticketing and entry requirements before planning a visit.