[2025 Haiyan Attraction] Travel Guide for Haiyan Museum (Updated Feb)

Haiyan County's new museum opened to the public in 2012. It covers an area of 17,000 square meters and has a building area of 15,293 square meters. The main building has three floors, which are used as exhibition spaces. The museum's main floor plan is a regular hexagon, which ensures the museum's building area while forming a hexagonal atrium that connects the exhibition halls. The building is four stories high and 20.40 meters tall. The overall design reflects the grasp of traditional Chinese space and the facade design of white walls and black tiles. It focuses on the contrast between the virtual and the real and the interspersing of building forms, and uses components to strengthen the connection between buildings. The collections of Haiyan County Museum come from collections, archaeological excavations, donations, and transfers after confiscation by law enforcement agencies. Collection categories: stoneware, jade, pottery, porcelain, bronzes, stone carvings, seals, inkstones, wood carvings, calligraphy and paintings, etc. As of the end of 2019, Haiyan County Museum had 5,220 pieces/sets, including 865 pieces/sets of precious cultural relics. The visit takes about an hour and a half.

Haiyan is indeed a very niche place. I chose Haiyan because the name is interesting, and combined with Yu Hua's buff, I thought of going for a stroll. Although it is in Zhejiang, it is a very niche name that I have never heard of. It is more suitable for people from surrounding cities who have nowhere else to go, but it is not necessary to travel from far away. Take the train to Jiaxing South Station, and then it takes about an hour by car to get to Haiyan. Windmill: After putting down my things, I took a taxi to see the windmill. It is a bit off the beaten path, but it is convenient to take a taxi there. Coming back was a bit difficult, so I paid extra to take a taxi back. It is worth visiting on a sunny day, and you can see the Ferris wheel when you turn your head. Although it was raining, it didn't feel like a waste. Geometry Bookstore: Smaller than expected, some of the floor stickers were worn out, but it is still worth a visit. Seasea: A shop for morning coffee and evening drinks. The location at the entrance is by the river, and it was very pleasant to sit on the chair and listen to the rain for a long time. I really like this shop. Haiyan Museum: Honestly, the sculpture at the entrance is the most beautiful part of the entire museum. I happened to see someone rehearsing Haiyan Opera, which was quite interesting. Haiyan Qiyuan: Just a few steps from the museum. It took a while to find the entrance. It is not a large scenic spot and not worth the ticket price. Shendang Granary: Both the bookstore and the coffee shop are worth a visit. Brewery: Went there to buy soy sauce ice cream, but later found out that it is sold everywhere in the ancient town. There is nothing much to see at the brewery itself. Shendang Ancient Town: Very, very small. Victory Hotel is right at the entrance, and I had dinner there. I sat in the corridor outside by the river, which was very pleasant. The clock shop has moved and is a bit far, so I suggest going there first before heading to Victory Hotel. The exterior of Xuanhutang Cafe is great for photos, but the drinks and desserts are not recommended, very average. The pastry shop was not making pastries the day I went, so I didn't get to buy any, which was a bit disappointing. I think it is a small county town very suitable for visiting on a sunny winter day.

Although Haiyan is only a small county, it has a large museum. This is my second visit to Haiyan, the second time I entered the Haiyan County Museum. The exhibition hall does not accept tickets and is open free of charge. This local museum houses more than 4,000 precious cultural relics, many of which are national-level cultural relics. It is rare to have such a large and such number of collections in county-level museums! The second time I came here, I finally saw the treasure of the town hall that often exhibits outside the country: the only jade back ivory comb completer in the country, belonging to the Neolithic Liangzhu culture thousands of years ago. There are also many national-level cultural relics such as the porcelain bells of the Warring States period, the bronze military seals of the Song Dynasty, and the re-emergence of cooking the sea for salt in grand scenes, etc. In the county-level museums, it is really worth visiting.