The Liangzhu Museum is located in Liangzhu Town, Yuhang District, where a large number of exquisite jade artifacts from 4,000 to 5,000 years ago were unearthed. At the Liangzhu Museum, visitors can not only see the real appearance of these artifacts but also understand the past and present of Liangzhu culture through various interactive experiences, making it an excellent place for educational entertainment for children.
Museum Overview: The museum building itself is a work of art, designed by a British designer, inspired by ‘a handful of jade cones scattered on the ground,’ and is a contemporary architectural masterpiece. Inside the museum, there are three exhibition halls named ‘Discovery and Truth,’ ‘Ancient Liangzhu,’ and ‘Liangzhu Civilization,’ interspersed with three patio-style open-air courtyards decorated with representative elements of Liangzhu culture. Navigating through this architectural space is an enjoyment in itself.
Exhibition Highlights: After passing through the front hall ‘Viewing Liangzhu from Hangzhou,’ visitors arrive at the first exhibition hall ‘Discovery and Truth.’ This hall features wax figures recreating the scene of archaeologists discovering Liangzhu, allowing visitors to sense the gradual recognition of Liangzhu culture. Behind the first exhibition hall is an interactive classroom with diagrams, cases, and interactive games about archaeological knowledge.
Exiting the first exhibition hall leads to the Jade Bi Courtyard, where the jade bi-shaped decorations are poetic in the water, and the surrounding benches are perfect for a rest. The Jade Bi Courtyard is also one of the most photographed spots in the museum. The second exhibition hall uses modern means to reconstruct an ‘Ancient Liangzhu,’ where visitors can experience the details of agriculture, pottery, and jade making in Liangzhu culture. There are large oil paintings, sand model displays, and city wall cross-sections that recreate the construction of the city of Mo Jiaoshan. Visitors can see raindrops falling on the large screen on the wall and hear thunder, creating an immersive experience as if traveling back to the glorious Liangzhu state 5,000 years ago. There is also an electronic screen in the corner of the exhibition hall for interactive experiences such as building houses and assembling pottery, allowing visitors to feel the interesting side of archaeology.
The third exhibition hall is the essence of the entire museum’s collection, where visitors can see many fine pieces of Liangzhu culture, such as jade cong, jade bi, and jade yue. Although these collections may not be eye-catching in appearance, they are numerous and diverse, providing a general understanding of Liangzhu culture or the ritual system of jade. In addition to appreciating the intricate and complex patterns on the jade, it is also worth understanding the significance and status of different types of jade from the exhibition signs.
Outside the museum, the beautiful Zhou Park is a vast area where visitors often set up tents for picnics on weekends. After visiting the museum, if time permits, one can also stroll around the nearby Liangzhu Cultural Village and enjoy a good-value lunch at Liangzhu Food Street.
Opening Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 16:30 all year round; closed all day on Mondays all year round; open 09:00 to 16:30 on National Day.
Liangzhu Museum
The Liangzhu Museum is located in Liangzhu Town, Yuhang District, where a large number of exquisite [...]
