China Clay Figurine Museum

China Clay Figurine Museum

The China Clay Figurine Museum is located in Huishan Ancient Town, 1.4 kilometers west of downtown Wuxi. The ancient town embodies the essence of culture and the beauty of landscape, and has long served as both a spiritual home and a popular destination for local residents. Covering a land area of 11,163 square meters and a building area of 10,322 square meters, the museum was designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma. The architectural theme incorporates local Huishan elements, featuring a simple, elegant design that blends seamlessly with the character of the ancient town, fully reflecting current trends in museum development.

The main structure of the museum has three levels—two above ground and one underground. The overall architectural style features grey-tiled roofs and sloping large rooftops, giving it the appearance of an upside-down "U" when viewed from the air. Its exterior harmonizes with the classical architectural aesthetics of the ancient town. The roof is paved with butterfly tiles, highlighting the traditional characteristics of Wuxi’s Jiangnan water town with its white walls and black tiles. Drawing inspiration from successful international architectural examples, the museum places great emphasis on environmentally friendly, energy-saving, and low-carbon materials.

The museum consists of various spaces including a central hall, Huishan clay figurine exhibition hall, Clay Figurine Zhang exhibition hall, historical clay figurine exhibition hall, phantom theater, temporary exhibition hall, master studio, and storage area. The exhibition spaces showcase a blend of culture and ecology, offer an all-round interactive experience of national treasures, highlight the rich application of high-tech media technology, and emphasize a humanistic approach to public engagement. The China Clay Figurine Museum aims to become a model cultural project at the heart of the scenic area, establish a forward-looking vision for the development of public museums, and explore successful operational models for large-scale thematic museums. Functionally, it integrates China's clay figurine resources, preserves clay figurine art and culture, expands the clay figurine industry, and creates new avenues for promoting national culture globally. This enables the authentic inheritance and development of China’s clay figurines, especially those from Huishan, thereby fostering a vibrant clay figurine cultural industry and promoting the coordinated social, cultural, and tourism development of the Huishan Historical and Cultural Block.

Address: Guhuashan Road, Beitang District, Wuxi City (near Huixi Park)

Type: Museum

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Opening hours:

Closed every Monday.

Ticket information:

No admission fee. Included in the 80 RMB combined ticket for Huixi Ancient Town.