Zhejiang Provincial Museum facts for kids
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Gushan building
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| Former name | West Lake Museum Zhejiang Museum |
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| Established | 1929 |
| Location | Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China |
| Type | Provincial museum |
| Collection size | 100,000 pieces |
The Zhejiang Provincial Museum is a super cool place in Hangzhou, China. It's like a giant treasure chest for the whole Zhejiang province! This museum is also known as the Zhejiang Memorial Museum of Revolutionary History. It first opened its doors way back in 1929. Back then, it was called the West Lake Museum. You can find it on Gushan Island, right by the beautiful West Lake. Inside, there are over 100,000 amazing items! These items tell stories about history, art, and nature from Zhejiang.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's Journey
How It All Started
The museum began in December 1929 as the Zhejiang Provincial West Lake Museum. The government gave land from the Wenlan Pavilion in December 1930. This helped the museum grow.
Moving Around During Difficult Times
In 1937, there was an invasion by Japan. Because of this, the museum had to move many times to keep its treasures safe. It even closed for a while in July 1941. But it didn't stay closed for long! In June 1943, it reopened in Longquan in western Zhejiang. After the war ended, it moved back to Hangzhou in the fall of 1945.
New Names and New Buildings
In 1951, the museum was recognized as an important local museum. Two years later, in 1953, its name changed to Zhejiang Museum. Later, in 1976, it got its current name: the Zhejiang Provincial Museum.
Over the years, the museum expanded. In 1984, its natural science section became its own museum, called the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History. This meant more space for both history and nature!
A big new building opened on December 22, 2009. This new home is on the West Lake Cultural Square, close to the Grand Canal. It has a huge display area, about 7,600 square meters. That's twice as much space as the old Gushan building!
Most recently, in May 2023, the museum opened another new branch in Zhijiang. Because of this, the Wulin Branch, which was the one opened in 2009, closed its doors.
Amazing Treasures You Can See
The Zhejiang Provincial Museum has many incredible collections. These items help us understand ancient times and different cultures.
- Ancient Jade and Ivory: You can see very old jade items from the Liangzhu culture. These were made by people who lived thousands of years ago! There are also amazing ivory carvings from the Hemudu culture.
- A Famous Sword: One special item is the Sword of Yue King Zhuji Yushi. Imagine holding a sword from an ancient king!
- A Special Painting: The museum also has a part of a famous painting called The Remaining Mountain. This painting was made by an artist named Huang Gongwang during the Yuan dynasty. The other half of this painting is in a museum in Taipei. It's like a puzzle with pieces in different places!
See also
- List of museums in China
