Tucked away at the foot of Turtle Hill (Wūguī Shān, 乌龟山), the Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum (Nánsòng Guān Yáo Bówùguǎn, 南宋官窑博物馆) occupies a site that has been famed for porcelain production for almost a millenia (which is, in part, why porcelain is known as "china" to many people abroad). This was a "royal" kiln, meaning that the porcelain manufactured here was for the exclusive use of the Emperor and his royal entourage during the second part of the Song Dynasty, known as the Southern Song Dynasty, when the capital was in Hangzhou.

The centerpiece of the museum is undoubtedly the ruins of the old kiln itself, first discovered in the 1930s, but not excavated for another 50 years. Elswhere, ancient tools and modern chinaware, are displayed alongside a history of ceramics in China, which explains in some detail the differences between "everyday" porcelain and the kind reserved for use only on special occasions.

You can also see items being manufactured in a replica of the old workshop, and even give it a go yourself if you fancy taking away a souvenir.

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