China National Silk Museum

This Hangzhou museum, one of the largest devoted to textiles anywhere, tells the story of Chinese silk from its Neolithic origins to the present. Its galleries display ancient woven fragments, elaborate court robes, dyeing techniques and the machinery of sericulture, set within landscaped grounds. A working collection of looms and a conservation centre support research into historic textiles. The focus on silk connects directly to Hangzhou's status as a centre of the trade that gave the Silk Road its name.