Museums are a city's portal to the past, through which visitors can learn of their history, development and prospective future.

With a plethora of state-of-the-art museums, visiting one is probably the one of the best ways to get to know Taicang. Aside from some of the bigger museums such as Taicang Museum and the Planning Exhibition Hall, smaller, specialist museums also have much to offer for tourists.

Shun Baozhai Clock and Watch Museum

The private museum focuses on the collection, study and exhibition of clocks and watches. With an area of 760 square meters and an investment of 5.5 million yuan, the museum was officially opened to the public on April 24, 2010.

The museum has a collection of 628 clocks and watches from 16 countries and welcomes about 50,000 visitors each year from home and abroad.

Address: No.21-1, Nanmen Road, Taicang

Cost: Free

Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm

Hengfa Photo Gallery

The gallery features a collection of various homemade cameras from different time periods. Since its establishment in 2009, it has become an open art museum and offers a range of collections, exhibitions, research and training. It is also a spot for regular photography-related activities.

Address: No.3, South Renmin Road, Taicang

Cost: Free

Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm

Memorial Hall of Zhu Qizhan

The memorial hall, located in Liuhe town, is an example of pseudo-classic architecture and is rich in historical and cultural value. The 600-square-meter hall is a hot spot for calligraphy, painting exhibitions and folk music activities.

Zhu is a renowned contemporary artist and a fine arts educator. He is proficient in Chinese calligraphy and landscape paintings.

Address: No.36, South Zhenghe Road, Liuhe town, Taicang

Cost: Free

Hours: 9:00am-4:30pm

Gao Shixiong Art Museum

Gao Shixiong is an expert in calligraphy, seal cutting and inkpad making and the art museum mainly presents her work.

The museum is free to the public and aims to promote Taicang's cultural industry and meet the public demand for culture.

Address: No.40, Guantang Road, Taicang

Cost: Free

Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm

Celebrity House

The Celebrity House has an exhibition area of 2,072 square meters and blends traditional classic garden elements with modern architecture design.

The house displays the life stories of Taicang's 115 famous celebrities, providing a platform for citizens to learn more about the city's history and culture.

Address: No.38, South Taiping Road, Taicang

Cost: Free

Hours: 9:00am-4:30pm, closed on Monday

Edited by Jacob Hooson