Hangzhou Museums

Some of the photos above are downloaded from 小红书

Hangzhou is a home to multiple UNESCO’s World Heritage sites and the place where some of the most recognized China's intangible heritage originated. That means, some of the most unique museums in China (and the world) are located in Hangzhou.

1. Kuahu Bridge Relics Museum

Address: No.978 Xianghu Road, Xiangshan District (萧山区湘湖路978号) Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 5pm

Kuahu Bridge Relics Museum (跨湖桥遗址博物馆) is located in the Xiaoshan District of Hangzhou, right on the banks of the Xiang Lake, with numerous sightseeing spots and family attractions nearby (read here about the Xiang Lake). The museum is dedicated to showcasing the archaeological findings from the Kuahu Bridge locality, an important Neolithic site, discovered in 1970-ies. Since then, archeologists recovered a wealth of artifacts which offered insights into the culture and lifestyle of people who lived here 8,000 years ago.

The museum features pottery, stone tools, jade ornaments, and other artifacts that have been unearthed from the site, including the 8000 years old canoe, one of the oldest ones in the world. The museum is built exactly at the site where the canoe was found. It is now protected by thick glass laid on top which keeps it safe yet well exposed to visitors to see.

The interesting fact about this site is that artefacts found here are so unique that archeologists are actually having difficulty identifying the chronology.

2. Liangzhu Museum

Address: No.1 Meilizhou Road, Yuhang District (余杭区美丽洲路1号) Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm

Liangzhu Museum (良渚博物院) is dedicated to the art, culture, and artifacts of the Liangzhu culture, Neolithic culture that flourished in the Yangtze River delta region around 5,000 years ago. The museum is located near Liangzhu Archaeological Site (良渚古城遗址公园), part of UNESCO World Heritage. Exhibitions are arranged thematically in: social organization of Liangzhu society, agricultural practices, artistic achievements, writing system and spiritual beliefs.

For me personally, two most interesting groups of artefacts were those related to shenhui (神徽) emblem and digital reconstruction of how a person who lived in this area 5,000 years ago might have looked like. Shenhui emblem depicts an image of the man and a face of the beast. It is a representation of the connection between human and nature. It is also a symbol used by the highest priest and the ruler, who was at the top of the social order. Some argue that the emblem (which has been a subject of intensive research during the last decade) holds much deeper symbolism (you can read about it here: 良渚“神徽”背后的历史、传说和故事_良渚文化_东方_中国 (sohu.com)).

In the museum you can see artefacts with engraved ancient Chinese characters. Some of these characters are still in the use today, more than 5000 years later. Can you imagine?

China Sword and Scissors Museum, China Fan Museum and China Umbrella Museum

Addresses: No.336 Xiaohe Road (小河路336号), No. 450 Xiaohe Road (小河路450) and No. 336 Xiaohe Road (小河路336号), respectively Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 4:30pm

Hangzhou is inseparable from its traditional handicraft industry, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that local government made an effort to protect and develop this outstanding cultural heritage. That is how China Sword and Scissors Museum (中国刀剪剑博物馆), China Fan Museum (中国扇博物馆) and China Umbrella Museum (中国伞博物馆) were founded.

The well-known knife and scissors brand Zhang Xiaoquan (张小泉), for example, has a tradition of 400 years. Fan manufacturer Wang Xingji (王星记) was founded around 150 years ago. Both are only produced in Hangzhou only and are considered time-honored brands and part of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Same is true for West Lake silk umbrella (西湖绸伞) made of silk and bamboo. In case you are in search for souvenirs or a gift, these could be expensive but memorable options.

All three museums are close to each other, so you can visit them in one go. They are close to Grand Canal’s Gongchen Bridge (拱宸桥), a stone arched bridge built in 17th century (it was rebuilt in 1885). The area around the Grand Canal is stunning, it would be a real miss if you didn’t manage to explore it. Read here about the Grand Canal.

Zhejiang Provincial Museum



Address: No. 25 Gushan Road (孤山路25号) and No. 581 Zhongshan North Road, West Lake Culture Square (中山北路581) Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm

Zhejiang Provincial Museum (浙江省博物馆). One of China’s oldest museums, Zhejiang Provincial Museum was founded in 1929 as the West Lake Museum of Zhejiang Province.

Today it is divided in two branches, Gushan Branch (浙江省博物馆孤山馆区) right on the banks of the West Lake and Wulin Branch (浙江省博物馆武林馆区) at the West Lake Culture Square. The museum is dedicated to the history and culture of Zhejiang province, with a collection that includes artifacts from the Neolithic era to the present day, and even modern revolutionary history. I somehow haven’t visited either of the above so I cannot tell you anything about them, but I had to put them on this list. You can decide whether to explore them or not.

Hu Qing Yu Tang Museum

Address: No. 95 Dajing Lane (大井巷 15 号) Working hours: Monday to Sunday 8am-5:30pm

Hu Qing Yu Tang Museum (胡庆余堂大井巷店) is dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine and is housed in a restored Qing dynasty pharmacy.

Visitors can learn about the history of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as view exhibits on medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other traditional therapies. Not only the museum is a pharmacy and a TCM clinic at the same time, but it also has a collection of more than 400 secret prescriptions. It is located in a vibrant, colorful Hefang street, full of traditional crafts, street snacks and souvenirs.

There is a couple of TCM clinics in and around Hefang Street. We regularly visited the one in Nanshouyu Street (南寿玉街). You can read about our experience with TCM and this particular clinic here.

Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum

Address: No. 6 Nanfu Road (南复路6号) Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am-4:30pm

Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum (南宋官窑博物馆）is dedicated to the art of ceramic-making, with a focus on the Guan ware (官窯), the most famous of all of Song dynasty (from 960 to 1279) types of ceramics. The museum, established in 1992, offers a collection of outstanding pieces and an opportunity to learn about the history and techniques of ceramic-making. Throughout the years, it has grown to be a highly appreciated ceramic culture center and historic landmark of Hangzhou.

It is right in between the Octagonal Field (八卦田) and Mantoushan Community (馒头山社区), a place very special to our family (read here why).

Hangzhou Museum

Address: No. 18 Liangdaoshan (粮道山18) Working hours: Wednesday to Monday 9am – 4:30pm

Hangzhou Museum (杭州博物馆) focused on Hangzhou city, its history and people. It interprets the stories of Hangzhou, city’s literature and art. From the inside it is a beautifully designed, well thought-through building. Artefacts are combined with digital media, which adds to the whole experience. Situated in a Wu Mountain Scenic Area, not far away from Hefang Street (河坊街) and City God Pavillion (城隍阁), it has a great location too. However, if you are not particularly interested in Hangzhou city, or better said, if you are not particularly familiar with the history and the tradition (because once you are, it is impossible not to be interested) you may as well skip it.

Hangzhou National Tea Museum

Address: No. 88 Longjing Road (龙井路88号) Working hours: Wednesday to Monday 9am – 4:45pm

Hangzhou National Tea Museum (中国茶叶博物馆) was founded in 1991 in order to preserve the tea tradition of China, serve as research institution and acts as the highest authority when comes to tea culture in China. The building is surrounded by lush tea hills, ponds with colorful fish and flowers. You can combine your visit with a lunch in Green Tea restaurant (绿茶餐厅) which serves local food (read more about Hangzhou flavors and snacks here). Longjing Village (龙井村) (read more here) is a relatively short (40 mins) walk from the museum.

Tea, in Chinese is pronounced cha (茶). The English word - tea – is derived from the local dialect of Fujian province, where it is pronounced te. Tea, te, cha or chai or te has been known in China since about 2700 BCE.

Offering someone a cup of tea is a sign of respect. It has been a part of formal ceremonies for centuries. The quality of the tea, the temperature of the water and the tea set used for serving are all of huge importance. The tea set affects the taste. So does the temperature of the water, as different temperature is used to brew different types of tea. There are special kitchen utensils that change color if the water is too hot. All these facts and much more you can learn during the tea ceremony the museum offers for free.

China National Silk Museum

Address: No. 73-1 Yuhuangshan Road (玉皇山路73-1号) Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 5pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm

China National Silk Museum (中国丝绸博物馆) Silk has been closely knitted in Hangzhou’s history. The city is the last port of Grand Canal, which was used to transport silk produced in China to Central Asia and Europe by land. The canal also served as a part of the Maritime Silk Road which led to India, Persia, and Egypt, covering the whole known world at the time.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, almost a millennium ago, Hangzhou was exporting silk in more than fifty countries of the world. No surprise that China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou is the largest textile and costume museum in the world is.

It was founded in 1992 as a non-profit institution dedicated the collection, protection and research of textiles, costume studies, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary fashion. It features numerous exhibitions, from Ancient Chinese collections of artefacts and textile (starting with Warring States - 475–221 BCE) to Western collections starting from the 10th century. If you are interested in Hangzhou’s silk tradition, read this chapter of my book.

China Cuisines Museum

Address: No.9 Huyu Road (虎玉路9号)

Working hours: Monday to Sunday 10am – 14pm and 17pm-21pm

China Cuisines Museum (中国杭帮菜博物馆) is a fascinating place that celebrates the rich culinary heritage and diverse cuisines of China. Here you can explore the history and evolution of Chinese cuisine, displays of ancient cooking utensils and traditional cooking techniques. The museum offers a comprehensive overview of the eight major culinary traditions of China: Cantonese, Sichuan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Hunan, Anhui, and Zhejiang.

The museum's restaurants serve authentic dishes from different provinces, so here you can try spicy Sichuan cuisine, delicate Cantonese dim sum or local， Hangzhou-style dishes, also known as Hangbangcai (杭帮菜). I absolutely adore this museum, it is not crowded, not too big, interesting for adults and kids alike. It is situated in a beautiful area, and if it’s raining (which is often the case when it comes to Hangzhou), it provides a great way to spend a few hours.

Driving home from this part of the city I once lost my way. It happened many times over the years, and as annoying as it was, every once in a while, it would turn into a real mini adventure. I would end up in amazing places.

This time, I found myself on the banks of the small lake. Living not far from there for years and not knowing about the lake shook me, I kept thinking what else do I not know about this city and how many years will pass until I know every corner of the city.

The serenity of the place was unreal. No cars, no people. It seemed to be some sort of residential area (either completely new, or completely abandoned), built around the above-mentioned lake. Across the lake small I could see an arched bridge, completely shaded in trees. That was exactly where I headed next. As I was driving across the bridge a man on a bike appeared in front of me. In his left hand he was clutching big fish. It was such a surreal, completely unexpected sight in the bustling Shangcheng district that I had to save the location so I can come back.

Couple of weeks later convinced my husband to explore the area on an ebike. On the way home we got caught in a typhoon, wind and sheets of rain and all. After a slippery, dangerous drive, we reached home soaking wet, shaking from the cold, laughing all the way to the 25th floor where we lived.

It could be because both of the times I visited this place something unusual happened, I still find it a bit magical, hard to believe it wasn’t a dream. I almost did not write this post, because I can imagine not everyone will find it interesting, but then some people might. So here you go.

Inside and around the museum there are a couple of decent restaurants where you can try very authentic local cuisine (read here about Hangzhou flavors and snacks), convenient and not too expensive, such as: Qiantang Kitchen (钱塘厨房), Hangzhou Flavor (杭州味道) and Dongpo Pavillion (东坡阁).

Zhejiang Art Museum

Address: No.138 Nanshan Road (南山路9号)

Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 17pm

Zhejiang Art Museum (浙江美术馆) is dedicated to preservation, exhibition, and study of Chinese art, specifically focusing on Zhejiang Province. The museum is situated in a modern, spacious building and boasts an impressive collection of art. In addition to paintings and calligraphy, visitors can see exquisite sculptures, ancient ceramics, jade artifacts, and lacquerware.

The museum is not focused only on traditional art. It is a hub for artists and one of the most popular venues for contemporary Chinese art exhibitions. They are meant to introduce trends, concepts, and broader context of Chinese art. Everyone is welcome to apply for an opportunity to exhibit here. The museum exhibition services are open to the whole society, as long as the application is in accordance with relevant requirements. Not everyone will get a chance to showcase their art, but the opportunity is there.

Zhejiang Museum of Natural History

Address: No.6 West Lake Culture Square (西湖文化广场6号)

Working hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am – 17pm

Zhejiang Museum of Natural History（浙江自然博物馆） is a good destination for nature enthusiasts and families with kids. It offers engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and lot of educational activities. It hosts a permanent exhibition of the flora and fauna that inhabit Zhejiang Province.

The highlight, especially for the kids, is the paleontological exhibition. Fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures offer a glimpse into the ancient history of Zhejiang.

Explanation:

Dark blue circles with book mark places connected to above mentioned legends.

I also added places where you can have lunch in the surrounding area,

or a coffee and a cake.

In case you find this confusing, open the drop-down by clicking the symbol in the top left corner and uncheck what you do not want to see.