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Located on West Street, the Button Museum features six exhibition halls: Ancient Buttons, Modern Buttons, Contemporary Buttons, Shell Button Production Process, Button Applications, and Chinese Knots. The opening of the Button Museum marks a new chapter in the history of Chinese buttons and adds a new dimension to Xitang, known as the hometown of buttons.
In the Button Museum, you can not only admire various buttons from ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad, but visitors can also make buttons by themselves.
Attraction Location: 西塘古镇 (XiTang Ancient Town), Jiashan County (嘉善县), Jiaxing City (嘉兴市), Zhejiang Province, China.
History: The museum was established in Xitang, one of China’s most famous water towns, to highlight the region’s historical role in button trade and handicraft culture. It also connects with China’s position as a modern leader in button manufacturing and fashion accessories.
Architecture: The museum building blends traditional Jiangnan water-town style — with whitewashed walls, black-tiled roofs, and carved wooden interiors — with modern exhibition features, providing a harmonious integration into the ancient town environment.
Cultural Value: This museum is one of the few in the world dedicated to the history and artistry of buttons. It showcases ancient Chinese fasteners, international button collections, and creative designs, reflecting the cultural significance of buttons as both practical and decorative objects. It enhances Xitang’s reputation as a hub of traditional culture with a modern twist.
Other Information: The museum often organizes temporary exhibitions, design workshops, and educational programs where visitors can experience button-making and fashion-related crafts.
Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:00 (aligned with Xitang Ancient Town opening hours)
Ticket Price: Included in the joint ticket of 西塘古镇 (XiTang Ancient Town), usually around ¥100 (covers multiple attractions in the town).
Best Photo Spots: The artistic button wall inside the museum, traditional Jiangnan-style exterior against Xitang canals, and exhibitions featuring creative button collages.
Time Reference: Around 40–60 minutes for a dedicated visit; can be combined with a stroll through other Xitang attractions.
Such a museum could obviously be made interesting and fun, but for some reason it was just done in such a ham-fisted way, wasting such an interesting theme.
Very interesting museum, suitable for visiting here
It's a small attraction with nothing much to see inside. All the so-called museums and wood carvings in Xitang are actually pretty unremarkable. But you'll eventually go, as it's located within the scenic area. It's quite small, so you'll eventually reach it. It's included in the combined ticket, so it counts as free.
Various buttons, it is a history of buttons, it is okay to take a look when you have time
There is a button museum in Xue's house. It is said that Xitang's button production accounts for 40% of the national trade.
One of the independent attractions in Xitang Ancient Town.
Xitang is known as the "Hometown of Buttons," a reputation that endures to this day. The Button Museum, located on West Street, features six exhibition halls: Ancient Buttons, Modern Buttons, Shell Button Production Process, Button Applications, and Chinese Knots.
This museum has opened a new chapter in the history of Chinese buttons and added a new landscape to Xitang, known as the hometown of buttons.
The exhibits could have been presented in a better way, but they weren't. The presentation was a bit low-brow and not beautiful at all. The service was also average. I'll give the three stars to the building and the surrounding scenery.
The museum has a wide variety of buttons, from ancient times to the present, made of various materials. They also make shell buttons on site.
I went in and took a look. It's quite unique and can broaden my horizons.
The Jiangnan water town is unique and worth a visit.
Next to Xitang Town is Dashun Township, the hometown of buttons in China, so there is a button museum here.
I recommend visiting the Button Museum, where there is a button so big that it entered the Guinness Book of Records.
It displays various buttons from ancient times to the present, as well as a demonstration of the button making process.
The Button Museum isn't very large, consisting of just a few small rooms. If it weren't for the occasional guided tour, we might have missed it. There aren't many types of buttons, and I wasn't particularly interested in them. I took a few photos, purely for my son's memory.
In this small museum, there are actually many buttons on display.
These little buttons do have a long history.
If you happen to meet a tour group, take advantage of the tour guide's explanation.
I can really learn a lot of knowledge
It is worth a visit compared to Xitang
Rather than the big museums in first-tier cities
Xitang is also the hometown of buttons in China. The Button Museum introduces the development history of buttons to visitors in detail and completely.
After coming here, I learned a lot. It turns out that shell buttons are the first generation of professional buttons in my country.
There are all kinds of buttons, with an introduction to the history of buttons. The window on one side faces the river, and the scenery by the window is nice.
The Button Museum isn't very big, or rather, most museums here aren't very big. I don't know what the point of going in is; for me, it's just to take some photos for Youyou to read later. I couldn't finish it.
I learned about some buttons from the Qing Dynasty and more recent times, but I don’t know where or how many of them were used… It’s still pretty good!
There is a tourist attraction in the ancient town, which shows various buttons and the production process of ancient buttons. You can keep the buttons as they are made, which is great.
The Button Museum has six exhibition halls: Ancient Button Exhibition Area, Modern Button Exhibition Area, Contemporary Button Exhibition Area, Shell Button Production Process Exhibition Area, Button Application Area, and Chinese Knot Exhibition Area.
It was the first time I saw so many kinds of buttons. The visit was very educational.
The king of Chinese buttons, holds the Guinness World Record.
The opening of the Button Museum has opened a new chapter in the history of Chinese buttons and added a new landscape to Xitang, known as the hometown of buttons.
At night, sitting at the window on the second floor of the museum and looking at the river view outside is a unique experience.
There are many beautiful buttons from different eras, and the whole process of hand-making buttons in ancient times is demonstrated on site.
It's not interesting, so don't go, it's too niche
Xitang, known as China's button town, boasts nearly 500 button-making companies, accounting for 40% of the nation's total button production. The Button Museum, located on West Street, features six exhibition halls: Ancient Buttons, Modern Buttons, Shell Button Production Process, Button Applications, and Chinese Knots. The opening of the Button Museum marks a new chapter in Chinese button history and adds a new dimension to Xitang, known as the button town.
The master in the venue will demonstrate the button making process on the spot, but unfortunately you can only watch
If you have a ticket, it's also nice to go shopping. There are all kinds of buttons, big and small.
There is also a button museum in Xitang, which is pretty good.
I took a quick look at all sorts of buttons, but didn't leave a deep impression.
Among the 11 attractions included in the ticket, this small museum is interesting. You can imagine how boring the rest are.
Located on West Street, there are six exhibition halls: ancient button display area, modern button display area, contemporary button display area, shell button production process display area, button application area, and Chinese knot display area.
It's just because you can get in for free if you buy a ticket, so everyone goes in to see... buttons, all kinds of things. I think these small museums are not worth going to, and there is no need to pay to go in.
The entrance ticket to the scenic spot includes the entrance ticket to this museum. Since it is just opposite the inn where we stayed, we went in for a look.
One of the attractions in the Xitang package is on West Street, where various buttons are displayed, some of which are of a certain age and some are modern. The place is relatively small.
My professional habit is that when I go to a place, I always like to find a floor plan and take pictures of it first. ...
Because you can enter Xitang without buying a ticket after 5 pm, but you can't go to the Button Museum without a ticket
This small museum has a variety of buttons, production techniques, etc. It is worth a visit.
It is considered a more distinctive place in Xitang Scenic Area
This place is really special and fun, haha.
The Button Museum has a good service guide who showed us how buttons are made from shells. He even gave me two shell buttons as a gift. It shows visitors how my country's button culture has evolved from cloth belts to jade buttons to modern craftsmanship. It's nice and I like it. The Button Museum is included in the 11-item ticket package, which is half price with a student ID. It's about 55 RMB. It includes 11 small attractions and is very cost-effective. I recommend visiting.
It's quite average, just take a look, nothing special
I personally don't have any big feelings about it, I just took a glance when I passed by. If you like buttons, you can go in and take a look.
The exhibition shows the development of buttons from ancient times to the present day. You need a ticket to enter. There are many buttons. I took a quick look at them. If you are not very interested, there is no need to go in. If there is no guide to explain, you really can't see what it is. I took a group of photos of super small buttons with Puyi's head inside.
The Xitang scenic area is accessible by ticket and is relatively simple.
The Button Museum is a small professional museum that introduces the development history of buttons and the buttons collected from various dynasties and countries on two floors. It is a worthwhile attraction. If you take your children there, you can also learn a lot of knowledge. It is a good place.
Xitang is the hometown of buttons in China. There is a button museum in the ancient town. Several exhibition areas have been set up according to the historical development of buttons, showing the development process of buttons from ancient times to the present. There is also an exhibition area that introduces the process of button making. It is quite interesting. However, there were many people when I went there. The buildings in the ancient town are all made of wood, and the stairs up and down are very narrow, which is a bit dangerous.
The fee here is included in the Xitang ticket. I didn’t have time to visit it last year. It should be a special museum.
The Button Museum is located in the middle of the water town of Xitang, in an old house. The buttons displayed in this Xue house are varied and of various styles, including various buttons before the Republic of China, with unique shapes!
Xitang is the hometown of buttons, and the museum is located on West Street in Xitang Ancient Town.
The Button Museum is a small attraction in Xitang, showcasing unique buttons from various eras. But the best part was the guide, who was incredibly attentive, even with just two of us. He gave us a great review and even gave us two buttons as souvenirs.
There are many memories and moments that I can never forget no matter how long it has passed. Without any intention, everything comes to mind.
If you buy a 100 yuan ticket to Xitang, this is included. If you don’t buy it (self-driving tourists, or those introduced by acquaintances to go directly to Xitang), you cannot visit for free.
It's a really unique museum. You can walk to it along the small streets of Xitang Ancient Town, but there are too many people.
The Button Museum was crowded from the entrance. I was eating at the time, so it was not convenient for me to go in.
I haven't visited many places in Xitang. There are a lot of people and tourists who come to experience the ancient town. I just strolled slowly and looked around as I walked! It's more spontaneous!
Learn about the history of buttons with an old man explaining and demonstrating them to you. It will also help you learn more.
This was once a grocery store in a bustling area. After being destroyed by fire, it was purchased and rebuilt by a man named Xue Youmin, hence its name. The main hall of the house has three rooms, adorned with a plaque reading "Chongji Hall," and is laid out according to traditional Chinese halls. Because Xitang is known as the hometown of Chinese buttons, the Xue House was later transformed into a button museum by local authorities. The museum boasts six exhibition halls: Ancient Buttons, Modern Buttons, Shell Button Production Process, Button Applications, and Chinese Knots. Here, you can not only admire a variety of buttons from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, but also experience the joy of making them yourself.
It's very good, very creative and unique. At least it attracted me when I first saw it.
The whole Xitang feels very good. The bustling places have their own bustling flavor, and the quiet places have their own quiet flavor.
It's not interesting, it's too small. And many items are just for show.
The name is cute. It's good to just go and have a look.
There are many buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which are worth a visit.
If you buy a package ticket to the ancient town, you can go in. You will need to check your ticket when you enter. You can actually go and see the button making process and so on.
Xitang is the hometown of buttons in China. The Button Museum is located on West Street and has a total of six exhibition halls: ancient button display area, modern button display area, contemporary button display area, shell button production process display area, button application area, and Chinese knot display area.
A small attraction included in the Xitang ticket, it's quite interesting to just take a look around
This is the first time I have seen so many buttons. I can imagine how people used buttons in the past.
I went to the Button Museum after visiting Xitang many times. I didn't have much hope at first, but after entering, I found that there are buttons that you can't see, and they are exquisite and unique. It is worth seeing, especially the machines that use the old craftsmanship to process mother-of-pearl buttons, which are very attractive!
Jiangnan's water towns are numerous, with well-known ones including Wuzhen, Xitang, Nanxun, Zhouzhuang, and Fengjing. To sum it up, they're all similar, but each has its own unique characteristics...
Wuzhen and Xitang are in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, Nanxun is in Huzhou, Zhejiang, Zhouzhuang is in Suzhou, Jiangsu, and Fengjing is in Jinshan District, Shanghai.
Wuzhen is west of Jiaxing, and Xitang is east of Jiaxing, both about half an hour's drive away. Wuzhen is north of Tongxiang, and Xitang is north of Jiashan...
Wuzhen is both larger and more famous. Jiaxing locals recommend choosing between the two and visiting Xitang: Xitang has a stronger cultural atmosphere, with most locals living within the scenic area. Wuzhen, on the other hand, has a more commercial atmosphere. Of course, if you have time, visiting both is even better. Wuzhen is divided into two parts: East and West. East is the old town, home to Mao Dun's former residence; West, a recent development over the past decade, is more than three times larger and boasts a distinctly ancient town character.
The small attractions in the scenic area are included in the pass. If you don’t have the pass, you have to buy tickets separately. It’s quite interesting to see them.
This is one of the 11 small attractions in Xitang. It is located in a deep corner and displays a variety of buttons. If you like, you can go and see it. There is really no need to see the others. They are not interesting.
The Button Museum, housed within the Xue Residence, features a dazzling array of buttons from ancient times to the present day. If you're confused, you can ask the guide at the entrance with your ticket for a detailed explanation. There are also live button-making demonstrations, but they require a sufficient number of people. For the average visitor, seeing a button-making demonstration is a matter of luck.
There is a demonstration and introduction to button craftsmanship, which is quite informative. The eaves at the door are also very delicate and the carvings are very distinctive.
The opening of the Button Museum marks a new chapter in the history of Chinese buttons and adds a new dimension to Xitang, known as the hometown of buttons. In the Button Museum, visitors can not only view a variety of buttons from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, but also try making buttons themselves.