Like the nearby China Tea Museum, the China National Silk Museum (Zhōngguó Sīchóu Bówùguǎn, 中国丝绸博物馆) looks back on a tradition that has defined the country over the course of thousands of years. As it happens, both musueums also opened in the early '90s, and are the premier venues of their type nationwide.

In this case, the subject in question is, of course, silk, with over 5000 years of history spread across eight exhibition halls: the Weaving Hall, Dyeing Hall, Folk Customs Hall and Silkworm Hall among them. Of course, no such history would be complete without mention of the significance of silk to international trade, and indeed the various forms taken by the Silk Road (some went by land, some by sea, and there were many branches even on the same route) are represented in maps and models.

The highlight for many visitors will likely be the manufacturing demonstration, which takes in sericulture (that's the raising of worms for their silk) as well as the business end of the process, where you can watch silk being woven, dyed, and printed.

This wouldn't be China if there weren't a giftshop at the end of the tour, nor would it be Hangzhou if there weren't a tearoom. Thankfully, the latter at least is tastefully done.

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