Hangzhou Southern Song Imperial Kiln Museum (aka Hangzhou Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum) is located in the western piedmont of Tortoise Hill, the south edge of West Lake Scenic Area. With the tasteful display, substantial content and quiet and beautiful environment, it is the first special theme museum on ceramics in China.
The Southern Song Guan Kiln, especially established by the royal government, was a royal porcelain kiln, where skilled workmen gathered to produce celadon wares for imperial use exclusively. With its dignified and graceful shape, sparkling jade-like color, thin body and thick glaze, Guan ware was recognized as the best among the five famous wares in the Song Dynasty and filled its own colors in Chinese ceramics history. The museum was built according to the architecture of the Southern Song Dynasty.
Covering an area of about 26,000 square meters, the Museum is elegant-arranged in a quiet environment. It was officially opened up to the public in 1992, comprehensively reconstructed in 2002, which fully brought out the unique charm and characteristics of ancient imperial Kiln, and launched the extension project of Phase II in2007, newly adding Chinese Ceramic Culture Hall, Ceramics Training Center, Provisional Hall, and Archaized Porcelain Factory, etc. Taking the connection between ceramics and daily life as entry point, the Chinese Ceramic Culture Display roundly and deeply exposed the profound and extensive culture of Chinese ceramic culture.
Hangzhou Southern Song Imperial Kiln Museum, integrating collection, display, education and entertainment, has grown to be a highly praised and appreciated ceramic culture center and a brilliant historic landmark of Hangzhou due to its important contributions on promoting ceramic culture and reproducing the view of ancient Hangzhou, the capital of Southern Song. It is the "Civilized Museum of Zhejiang Province, and belongs to the first batch of "Educational base of patriotism. Since May 18th, 2003, the Museum has been opening to the public for free.
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: No. 60, Nanfu Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou
Opening Time: 8:30a.m.-16:30p.m., every day except Mondays and official holiday