Hangzhou is recognized for its many museums which showcase, from all aspects, the history and culture of Hangzhou and China. The most popular ones amongst tourists and citizens, alike, include Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Zhejiang Museum of Natural History and China National Tea Museum. Besides these mainstream museums, Hangzhou also offers some small-scale venues themed around silhouettes, paper money and coins, and folk arts. To find out more, just read on …

China Academy of Art Silhouette Art Museum

The museum is located at the roadside of Nanshan Road and is housed inside a quaint three-storey building dating back to the republican period of China. The museum’s collections of silhouette artworks are of long standing, they are diversified in shape and pattern and are of fine workmanship. The over 45000 pieces of silhouette art works displayed inside the museum span a period from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present day and cover the following areas: Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Tangshan of Hebei, Beijing, Henan, Hunan and Hubei. In addition, there are 1368 handwritten scripts of shadow plays.

Address: 210 Nanshan Road, Hangzhou
Hours: 09:30 to 16:40 on Friday and Saturday
Ticket: free

Hangzhou Southern Song Monetary Museum

Hangzhou Southern Song Monetary Museum occupies an area of over 1500 sq m. It officially opened in 1996 and now houses over 60 thousand coins of more than 5000 types and Its conservation of coins has contributed to the study of Hangzhou from over 800 year ago.

There are three exhibition halls in the museum, the first displays coins, mainly those from the time of the Southern Song Dynasty as well as coins unearthed in and around the West Lake. The second exhibits coin rubbings and coin related documents and the third hall gives historical background information on these coins, which are demonstrated in the form of bronze, ceramic and jade ware.

Address: 12 Jiangyuan Lane, Xiaoying Alley
Hours: 09:00 to 16:30
Ticket: free

China Academy of Art Folk Art Musem

The museum is designed by the famous Japanese architect —Kengo Kuma and its luxuriant collection of silhouette artworks and Chinese minority costumes show visitors the beauty and in -depth culture of Chinese traditional life.

Address: 352 Xiangshan Road, Zhuantang Street
Hours: 09:00 to 16:00 (from Tuesday to Sunday)
Ticket: free