China National Silk Museum

China National Silk Museum

The China National Silk Museum is located by the West Lake in Hangzhou. It is a national first-class museum, the first national-level specialized silk museum in China, and the largest silk museum in the world. It officially opened to the public on February 26, 1992, and has been free to the public since 2004. The former President of China, Jiang Zemin, inscribed a dedication for the museum: "Promote the ancient culture of silkworms and silk, and forge a new Silk Road."

After more than 20 years of development, the China National Silk Museum has now become the world’s largest thematic museum dedicated to textiles and apparel, integrating collection, research, heritage preservation, and exhibition. In July 2016, following over a year of renovation and upgrading, the museum reopened to the public. The new building covers a construction area of 25,000 square meters, with an exhibition space of 9,000 square meters, and consists of six sections: "Silk Road — Chinese Silk and the Silk Routes," "Heavenly Silkworms and Divine Looms — Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition of Chinese Sericulture and Silk Weaving Techniques," the Textile Conservation Gallery, the "Chinese Fashion Art Exhibition," the "Western Fashion Gallery," and temporary exhibition halls.

The China National Silk Museum boasts an elegant environment and a graceful and flowing architectural style. Inside the museum grounds, there are mulberry fields, dyer’s herbs, small bridges, and flowing water, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the beauty of nature. The museum also houses uniquely themed spaces such as a silk marketplace, the Jinxiu Corridor, and the Jinglun Hall high-end custom design studio, making it a great destination for leisure and entertainment.

The reopened China National Silk Museum will not only be the largest textile and apparel-themed museum in China focused on silk but will also feature themed exhibition halls on the Silk Road and silk along the routes. It serves as an important window for promoting the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Visitor Guide

Museum Address: No. 73-1 Yuhuangshan Road, Hangzhou; Postal Code: 310002

Local Transportation: Bus routes 12, 42, 31, and 87

Opening Hours: Open to the public free of charge all year round, daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Contact Number: 0571-87032060

Further Reading:

· National First-Class Museums of China