The Hangzhou Arts and Crafts Museum comprises the main museum and three themed museums dedicated to knives, swords, scissors, umbrellas, and fans, reflecting Hangzhou’s three major specialties: Zhang Xiaoquan scissors, Wangxingji fans, and West Lake silk umbrellas. Here, you can gain an overview of Hangzhou’s history of arts and crafts, as well as witness the artisans demonstrating the production process.
The museum complex is located along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, with the buildings converted from old factories. Geographically, it can be divided into several main areas: the Arts and Crafts Museum main building, China Cutlery Museum, and China Umbrella Museum to the south; and the China Fan Museum and the Living Craftsmanship Exhibition Hall to the north. The distance between each venue is less than a 10-minute walk. If your visiting time is within one and a half hours, it is recommended to choose one area to visit. If you have ample time (about 2.5 hours, excluding experience activities), you may opt to visit both museum areas. The main museum building is located to the south of the cluster, where the exhibits focus on sculpture, ceramics, embroidery, weaving, metalwork, and some folk crafts. On the third floor, the Craft Workshop offers activities such as cloth magnetic paper-cutting and cross-stitch (additional fees apply). The Cutlery Museum and the Umbrella Museum, converted from a local product warehouse, are located north of the main building. The first floor of the Cutlery Museum features a scissors exhibition, where you can learn about the origin and evolution of scissors, as well as the development history of Zhang Xiaoquan scissors. The second floor’s swords and knives exhibition displays the craftsmanship of swords and knives through text, images, and artifacts, as well as their roles in people’s lives. You will not only see a variety of swords and knives from home and abroad, weapons from the cold weapon era, swords symbolizing authority and status, and even fencing equipment… but also marvel at the various forms in which swords and knives play roles from daily items to weapons, and symbols of identity and authority. The Umbrella Museum, adjacent to the museum, spans two floors, with the first floor being particularly worth visiting. It showcases the development process from oil paper umbrellas, oil cloth umbrellas, to West Lake silk umbrellas, along with wax figures and text displays of umbrella-making scenes. The nostalgic oil paper umbrellas and beautiful West Lake silk umbrellas in the exhibition hall make one feel that umbrellas are not only a tool for sheltering from rain but also a symbol of beauty. Following the canal to the north, not far away, is the Fan Museum, which is still dedicated to the display of fans. In this area, particularly worth seeing is the Living Craftsmanship Ecological Hall, opposite the exit of the Fan Museum, converted from the original Tongyi Public Weaving Factory. Inside, craftsmen demonstrate the forging of Zhang Xiaoquan scissors and the making of West Lake silk umbrellas. In addition, there are many team experience activities to participate in, such as fan painting, assembling straight-handled umbrellas, paper-cutting, etc., taught by craftsmen in person.These experience activities are very suitable for children. They can learn knowledge while doing hands-on activities. Experience activities cost several dozen yuan per person or per item separately, and there are certain number requirements. You can call the scenic spot in advance for consultation. The blocks around the museum are also worth strolling. Walking along the canal, there are many teahouses, restaurants, and cafes where you can have meals and rest. The famous Xiaofeng Bookstore in Hangzhou has also opened a branch here. Opening hours throughout the year: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday, 09:00 – 16:30; closed all day on Tuesday throughout the year; open from 09:00 to 16:30 on New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day. Tour guide service in the scenic area: The tour starts from 5 people. To ensure the quality of the tour guide service, the number of people in each tour guide team does not exceed 30. Minors’ teams in Hangzhou (10 people or more) can enjoy free tour guide service. Retired people, teachers, military personnel, and disabled people’s teams in Hangzhou (10 people or more) can enjoy a 50% discount. Tour guide reservations must be made three days in advance (Tel: 0571-88197518/88197508/88197511). Stroller rental: Convenience services: wheelchairs, mother and baby rooms, strollers, love umbrellas, reading glasses, sewing kits, first aid kits, water dispensers, lost and found, and public address for missing persons. Wheelchair rental: Convenience services: wheelchairs, mother and baby rooms, strollers, love umbrellas, reading glasses, sewing kits, first aid kits, water dispensers, lost and found, and public address for missing persons. Mother and baby room: Convenience services: wheelchairs, mother and baby rooms, strollers, love umbrellas, reading glasses, sewing kits, first aid kits, water dispensers, lost and found, and public address for missing persons. Disabled access: Convenience services: wheelchairs, mother and baby rooms, strollers, love umbrellas, reading glasses, sewing kits, first aid kits, water dispensers, lost and found, and public address for missing persons.
