Boat culture has a history of 8,000 years, and water town civilization connects ancient and modern times. The Jiaxing Boat Culture Museum in Zhejiang Province is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal outside Shuiximen in Jiaxing City. The main building is like a huge ship berthed in the port. The gangway for boarding the ship is close to the side of the ship. The rotating waterwheel reminds people of the ancient wheeled boat. On the hydrophilic Canal Square in front of the museum entrance, fountains cascade and sails soar. Three fishing boats from the East China Sea are lined up in succession in the canal, strongly creating an atmosphere of a fishing town and a country of boats. The exhibition content of the boat culture museum is divided into four major parts: the history of boats, the charm of boats in water towns, the world of famous boats, and ship technology. The foyer is a canal boat with a mast directly inserted into the dome. The circular wall is inlaid with a 15-meter-long enlarged spray-painted full-scroll painting ‘Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival’. The exhibition hall on the first floor is a brief history of boats. Eight large display cabinets tell eight beautiful stories. The exhibition hall on the second floor shows the customs of water towns, vividly presenting the folk customs of people in water towns in the south of the Yangtze River living by the river with boats and tying boats to willows in picturesque villages. It is extremely informative and ornamental. The exhibition hall on the third floor is for famous ships and warships. It consists of four parts: ancient Chinese ships, ancient Western ships, modern warships, and modern civilian ships. The models are exquisitely made and display many scientific and technological achievements in the history of world navigation. At the same time, they are also outstanding masterpieces of human exploration and utilization of nature. In the popular science exhibition hall, the eight computer screens display knowledge content such as ship structure, navigation propulsion principles, and many aspects of maritime exploration. Teenagers can also participate in naval battle games here. The high-tech large-scale ship simulation driver is a major highlight of the museum. Audience members board the ship and enter the cabin, personally operate it, and enjoy a tour of Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing and the Jiangnan Canal. They can also row boats in the ancient water towns of Xitang and Wuzhen, and travel through the Huangpu River in Shanghai and sail into the deep ocean. The realistic water scenery, the roar of the engine, the towering waves, and the thrilling collisions make people feel as if they are on the scene, dizzy, and with a racing heart. This simulator also has the function of crew training and examination. The Jiaxing Boat Culture Museum has rich exhibition content, novel exhibition layout methods, high content of modern technology, and good sound, light, electromagnetic effects. A whole set of multimedia systems allow the audience to see, hear, touch, and use. In an atmosphere full of the world of rivers, lakes, and seas, people can fully appreciate the charm of boats and deeply feel the profound connotations of boat culture.
Opening hours: Open from Tuesday to Saturday throughout the year, 09:00 – 11:30; Open from 14:30 to 17:30 throughout the year; Open from 14:00 to 17:00 throughout the year. Open on statutory holidays.
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