Full Guide To The China National Tea Museum In Hangzhou
I must admit: I am addicted to tea, especially green tea. I love the taste and all the benefits it has to offer: bioactive compounds that improve health, improved brain function, increased fat burning and physical performance, and all the antioxidants that lower the risk of various types of cancer. China is the home of green tea and if you love tea just as much as me, there’s one place you should definitely go and see: The China National Tea Museum in Hangzhou.
Here is the Complete Guide To Visiting The Tea Museum In Hangzhou:
Where?
The museum is a one-of-a-kind exhibition center dedicated to tea and was opened in 1991. It is located in Longjing (Dragon Well) Village, west of charming West Lake. It’s not only a museum but also a tea plantation where a number of different teas are growing and harvested, the most famous one being the Hangzhou Longjing tea. It is the only museum in China with a tea theme.
88 Longjing Rd, Xihu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Take bus no. 27 or 87 and get off at Shuangfeng Station. Entrance free.
What to see?
The museum is a gem because it logically guides the visitor through China’s tea history in four groups of buildings. The exhibition building is divided ino six halls to show the history of growing and processing of tea.: the Hall of Tea History, the Kaleidoscope Hall, the Hall of Tea Properties, the Tea-friendship Hall, the Tea Sets Hall, and the Tea Customs Hall. I found the Customs Hall especially interesting because it gives insight in the tea culture of the Chinese minority groups.
The museum features a well-organized collection of tea emorabilia and paraphernalia to gander at and different samplings of the variety of teas around the country.
Don’t miss out on the beautiful teashop that’s right next to the museum. There, you can buy a variety of local teas as well as beautiful porcelain teapots and sets. I bought a selection of small teas of different kinds for only $1 each.
Outside the museum is a field with endless lines of tea shrubs. Take a stroll through the entire premises and you will find the Chinese tea symbol 茶 pop up in different forms everywhere. Walking around the museum area, there are a couple of beautiful teahouses where you can enjoy tea ceremonies and try out different kinds of teas as well!
Bonus: Green Tea Restaurant
I read about this restaurant in my lonely planet travel guide and just had to check it out. There is one location right next to the tea museum but there’s another one near the West Lake in Hangzhou. It’s often very packed since it serves superb food. I visited during Chinese New Year and had to wait for almost 1 hour to get a table for one! The flavours are incredible and I ate here twice during my stay in Hangzhou!
Thirsty now? Pin it!
I can really recommend visiting this beautiful museum as the trip there is worth it for the beautiful surrounding area as well! I loved strolling through the beautiful tea bushes and around the museum complex exploring the various tea houses!
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Great article! I love tea and enjoyed seeing all the different teapots. I wish I had a picture of the old one used in my daughter-in-law tea ceremony, although the ones in your post are MUCH prettier. My husband’s aunt sent his mother some amazing tea — I think it was jasmine? — from a trip to China. The tea leaves were tight little balls and unrolled when the tea steeped. But I never got an English translation for the name.
they’re yummy! I love Jasmine tea it’s so delicious and healthy! Usually these flower teas are green tea base and then flowers added in. I know what you mean. I think it’s just compressed tea?
It must be. I wonder if they roll it by hand into those perfect balls. It’s kind of amazing.
yes! hm probably not. they use some kind of press.
The restaurant looked delicious. I really like tea as well, I need to try and take more advantage of Korea’s teas while living here as well.
Absolutely! But Korea’s tea culture is SO DIFFERENT from the one in China. Sometimes I really miss China for its teas 🙁
That’s a lovely looking teapot. I’m more of a coffee drinker but i love to have tea on a relaxing night. So I always have chamomile tea in the house when the mood strikes.
I just love how huge the variety of tea is and that there are teas for ever purpose! Chamomile is not one of my favorites but I enjoy it every once in a while 🙂
When I was in China a few months back I visited a tea museum. It was a great chance to learn the history behind many types of tea. The museum you wrote about it a lot larger and seems to have more information. I think if I’m ever in that area, I’d like to check out the museum, and top of my supply of tea.
It was truly a nice place to visit! Chinese tea is awesome and I miss it a lot here in Korea! 🙁
Looks really interesting!
I was a little disappointed at the end. I saw the YouTube box, thought ‘cool, they made a video about it…” Then realized it wasn’t your video… 🙁
But seems really cool. I love all types of museums and learning the history behind all sorts of things.
sorry haha. I have been quite silent on YouTube because my job keeps me so crazy busy and editing videos takes me ages 🙁
I love tea and I have contemplating a trip to mainland China… hmm. This is tempting.
Hangzhou is a wonderful place, You shouldn’t miss out on it!
One thing that fascinates me about the tourism of Korea and China is how they document the history of stuff like this and build a museum for them. The symbolism is eminent. Tea museum is definitely an interesting place to visit.
thanks Williams! Yes, that’s true. I love going to museums 🙂
This looks great! I really love Chinese Oolong tea. I love the teapots and saucers in the photos. Have you visited the Boseong Green Tea Plantation yet? It’s really lovely!
I honestly think I would prefer the bushes outside the museum because I don’t enjoy museums all that much. Chinese tea is awesome. I bought so many KG’s back with me from my trip to Beijing last winter. You really need to visit Boseong sometime!
Yes, I really want to go to Boseong! 🙂