Handicrafts Living Exhibition Hall

Handicrafts Living Exhibition Hall

As a branch of the Hangzhou Arts and Crafts Museum (which includes the China Knife, Scissors and Sword Museum, China Fan Museum, and China Umbrella Museum), the Handicrafts Living Exhibition Hall serves as a dynamic supplement to the static displays of the main museum. By concentrating on the display of traditional handicrafts—mainly knives, scissors, oil-paper and silk umbrellas, and various types of fans—as well as creative handicrafts that incorporate them into modern art, the hall not only protects and promotes the historical and cultural value of these intangible cultural heritage items but also injects new vitality into their preservation and transmission.

While maintaining the authentic architectural style of factories from the Republican era, the venue integrates features of traditional handicrafts and adds uniquely crafted workshop-style settings along with illustrated introductions throughout the tour route. This allows visitors to immerse themselves in various historical scenes while learning about traditional Chinese crafts that carry rich historical and cultural significance as intangible heritage.

The exhibition hall is renovated from Building No. 3 of the former Hangzhou No. 1 Cotton Mill. Originally known as the Tongyi Public Cotton Mill, it was one of the largest, most advanced, and most socially influential modern cotton textile factories established by national capital in Zhejiang Province in the early 20th century. As a cornerstone in the formation and development of modern industry in the area, it witnessed the establishment and growth of Hangzhou’s modern national light textile industry and recorded the development of Hangzhou’s industrial history. It was renamed Hangzhou No. 1 Cotton Mill in 1956.

The preserved factory buildings and other structures are typical representatives of Republican-era architecture in Hangzhou. With well-preserved internal structures, they hold significant historical research value and have been listed as part of the provincial-level cultural heritage protection units.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–16:00 (Closed all day on Mondays)