Suzhou Wu Culture Museum | Wu Zhong Museum is located within the Tan Tai Lake scenic area in Wu Zhong District, Suzhou, south of the World Cultural Heritage Grand Canal and the national heritage Bao Dai Bridge. The museum has a total construction area of 18,600 square meters and occupies an area of 8,500 square meters, with the main building consisting of three floors above ground and one underground. The museum opened on June 28, 2020, and officially opened to the public on July 1. The museum appears to be composed of multiple spaces but is actually integrated, resembling the character ‘Wu’ from a bird’s-eye view, which aligns with the theme of Wu culture. The hard exterior of reinforced concrete and the simple and lively rhythm present a sense of ‘purity’ to the audience. Placed within the minimalist gray space, the tension born from the architecture itself is all within an inch. On clear mornings and evenings, sunlight filtering through the skylights onto the museum’s floors and walls becomes dancing sprites. When the night is enchanting and the lights are gentle, the two-story high glass curtain wall seems like a glittering diamond embedded in a shallow pool. From the coffee bar’s viewing platform on the second floor, overlooking Bao Dai Bridge, one can enjoy a museum tour accompanied by the aroma of coffee, stroll up the massive gray-white stairs, and take a photo with the museum, which is comfortable and beautiful. The north gate of the museum serves as the entrance for visitors, and the east gate is the exit. The first floor is mainly used for temporary exhibitions, education, and public services, with two temporary exhibition halls focusing on creating special exhibitions of Wu culture and Jiangnan culture, as well as other domestic and international fine exhibitions; the second floor houses regular displays, currently holding more than 6,800 sets of cultural relics and over 10,000 pieces, mainly from archaeological excavations within the original Wu County area. The regular display is divided into two parts: ‘Archaeology Explores Wu Zhong’ and ‘Elegance and Praise of Wu Zhong’, with the latter including three parallel exhibitions: ‘Wu Style’, ‘Wu Elegance’, and ‘Wu Praise’. ‘Archaeology Explores Wu Zhong’ provides an academic interpretation of the origin and prosperity of Wu culture from an archaeological perspective, while ‘Elegance and Praise of Wu Zhong’ showcases Wu culture from the perspectives of fine cultural relics, local specialties, and the inheritance and protection of Wu culture. In addition, the museum has an educational center, an academic lecture hall, a multifunctional hall, a cultural and creative shop, and a coffee shop, among other public activity spaces, with overall facilities leaning towards the educational and public service functions required by modern museums. The exhibition halls use a rich variety of multimedia display methods and interactive devices, allowing audiences of all ages to find joy in visiting the museum. Positioned as a ‘cultural complex’, Wu Zhong Museum is not only a space for collecting cultural relics and displaying art exhibitions but also a comprehensive public learning and communication space that combines exhibition display, lectures, entertainment performances, and leisure activities.
Opening hours: Open from Tuesday to Sunday throughout the year from 09:00 to 17:00. Closed all day on Monday throughout the year. Open from 09:00 to 17:00 on New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.
Must-see tips:
1. The Wuzhong Museum implements real-name reservation. Visitors can make reservations through the WeChat account of the Wuzhong Museum five days in advance (including the same day).
2. Each ID card can be reserved only once per day. A single account can reserve three people in real name per day (the name and ID number of each person must be filled in truthfully. If the information does not match, entry will not be allowed). After successful online reservation, please take the reservation channel when visiting and enter the museum by swiping the gate with reservation information and ID card.
3. If you cannot arrive at the museum on time, please cancel the reservation in advance (the cancellation deadline is before the end time of the visiting period). If you do not arrive at the museum within the reservation period (and 15 minutes before and after), it will be invalid. Visitors who reserve the last time period must enter the museum before the deadline (16:30). Visitors who are overtime will not be able to enter the museum for visit.
4. Each reserved adult can bring one minor under 1.2 meters into the museum. Minors over 1.2 meters need to make reservations in advance. Minors who have not obtained an ID card should use the ID number on their household registration book to make reservations for them.
5. Documents include resident ID card, residence permit for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents, Taiwan Compatriot Travel Permit, Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao Residents, and passport.
6. People who are drunk, inappropriately dressed, accompanied by pets, or incapacitated or restricted in capacity without guardians are refused entry. Elderly people and people with limited mobility must be accompanied by relatives and friends for visit. Consciously accept security check and prohibit carrying dangerous goods such as inflammables, explosives and controlled tools. Consciously maintain the hygiene in the museum. Do not bring food and drinks into the museum. Do not spit everywhere and litter. Smoking is prohibited in the museum. Consciously abide by the visiting order. Do not make loud noises, run and chase, climb or lie down. Do not engage in activities unrelated to visiting.
7. Please have meals in the designated area of the museum. Eating and drinking are prohibited in the exhibition hall. Flashlights, selfie sticks and bracket-type photographic equipment are prohibited from taking pictures in the exhibition hall. The filmed image materials cannot be used for commercial and publishing purposes. Cultural relics not open for shooting will be marked with prohibition signs separately. Please use interactive exhibition items correctly and do not touch exhibits and display cabinet glass.
8. There are free self-service lockers for storage in the museum. Please keep valuables by yourself.
Wu Culture Museum
Suzhou Wu Culture Museum | Wu Zhong Museum is located within the Tan Tai Lake scenic area in Wu Zhon[...]
