Sheng Xifu Museum

Sheng Xifu Museum

The Sheng Xifu Museum began preparations in June 2008. It was established with a commercial and financial special fund applied for by Beijing Sheng Xifu Hat Industry Co., Ltd. to the relevant government departments in Beijing. Through an in-depth exploration of Chinese headwear history and culture, century-old hat-making craftsmanship, and the historical legacy of Sheng Xifu, it is a public welfare museum dedicated to hat culture that blends both "tangible cultural heritage" and "intangible cultural heritage." The museum was officially opened to the public on June 8, 2010.

The Sheng Xifu Museum covers a total area of 260 square meters. Its architectural style incorporates traditional elements of old Beijing siheyuan (courtyard houses), featuring unique design and innovative structure. The museum is divided into five thematic exhibition halls: the Development History of Sheng Xifu Exhibition Hall, the Workshop of the Leather Hat Craftsmanship Inheritor, the Ethnic Hats Exhibition Hall, and the Ancient Crown and Hat Exhibition Hall. Among these, the Development History of Sheng Xifu Exhibition Hall is further divided into five sections: Century-Old Brand, Settling in the Capital, Path of Inheritance, Reaching New Glory, and Origins of Crowns. It details the entrepreneurial, inheritance, and developmental history of the century-old brand Sheng Xifu since its establishment in 1911, as well as the brand’s efforts in inheriting and developing the unique and exquisite Chinese hat-making techniques. It comprehensively reflects the historical trajectory of modern hat culture in China. In the Leather Hat Craftsmanship Workshop, the national intangible cultural heritage project—leather hat-making craftsmanship—is demonstrated on-site. Visitors can also admire hat boxes made of different materials from various eras, as well as various hat-making tools such as the blocking tool and helmet heads. The Ethnic Hats Exhibition Hall showcases exquisitely crafted hats and accessories from multiple ethnic minorities, including the Miao, Yi, and Tajik people of Xinjiang, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the unique charm of ethnic minority hat cultures. The Ancient Crown and Hat Exhibition Hall displays items ranging from the imperial crowns of Han dynasty emperors, winter court hats of Qing emperors and empresses, Tang dynasty futou and xianjin crowns, to Yuan dynasty bamboo hats and Qing dynasty melon-peel hats, offering a profound sense of the long and rich history of hat culture.

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development