China National Tea Museum

The China National Tea Museum is a collection of five exhibition halls displaying tea varieties, production methods, and traditional equipment used across different regions. The displays explain the complete journey from cultivation to brewing and consumption.

The museum was founded in 1991 as the first national institution entirely dedicated to tea. Its establishment marked official recognition of China's ancient tea-growing traditions as a cultural treasure worth preserving and studying.

Tea rooms within the museum allow visitors to participate in traditional tea ceremonies and observe how tea serves as a bridge between people in Chinese daily life. These spaces show the ritual and social importance that surrounds tea preparation and sharing.

The museum sits near working tea plantations visible from the grounds, giving visitors a sense of where tea comes from. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the space covers considerable ground and invites exploration.

The museum building was designed to integrate with the surrounding tea plantations rather than block them off from view. Visitors can actually observe how tea grows and is tended across different seasons while walking through the grounds.

Location: Hangzhou

Inception: 1991

Official opening: 1991

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-16:00; Monday off; Holidays 09:00-16:00

Website: http://teamuseum.cn

GPS coordinates: 30.23472,120.11556

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:02