China Button Museum

中国纽扣博物馆

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.

Attractions Location: Xitang Ancient Town, Jiashan County, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province

Tickets:
Xitang Scenic Area Ticket 100 yuan included

Official phone number: Ticketing Inquiry
0573-84562045

Time reference: 1-3 hours


Recommended itinerary for China Button Museum tours

1-Day Itinerary: XiTang China Button Museum & Local Exploration

Spend a day visiting the Button Museum and enjoying the historic water town of XiTang, ideal for a short cultural trip.

  • Morning: XiTang China Button Museum – explore exhibits on traditional and modern button-making, and learn about textile history. (Transport: Taxi from central XiTang, ~10 min)
  • Late Morning: Stroll along Beizha Street (~5–10 min walk) – enjoy riverside views, traditional architecture, and small shops.
  • Afternoon: Visit Anjing Bridge Area (~5 min walk) – take photos and explore the canals and nearby shops.
  • Evening: Dinner at local riverside restaurants serving XiTang specialties like river fish, steamed buns, and sweet dumplings.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near XiTang Old Town. Recommended dishes: braised river fish, local dumplings, rice cakes.

Souvenirs: Decorative buttons, handmade crafts, traditional textiles, local snacks.


2-Day Itinerary: Button Museum + Water Town Highlights

Two days allow a deeper exploration of XiTang’s historic streets and canals in addition to the Button Museum.

  • Day 1: Follow 1-day itinerary.
  • Day 2 Morning: Xitang Ancient Alley Walk – explore multiple alleys, old houses, and small boutique shops (~15–20 min walk from museum).
  • Day 2 Afternoon: Visit South Garden Scenic Area (~10 min walk) – enjoy classical gardens and river views.
  • Evening: Optional night cruise along XiTang canals (~20 min walk from South Garden).

Accommodation/Food: Stay near South Garden or Beizha Street. Recommended dishes: steamed river shrimp, bamboo shoots with fish, sweet rice desserts.

Souvenirs: Button-themed items, traditional crafts, tea, local pastries.


3-Day Itinerary: Button Museum + Cultural Streets + Surrounding Villages

Three days allow visits to nearby villages, cultural experiences, and local arts.

  • Days 1–2: Follow 2-day itinerary.
  • Day 3 Morning: Visit Jiashan Ancient Village (~15 min taxi from XiTang) – traditional architecture and local workshops.
  • Day 3 Afternoon: Explore XiTang Museum of Folk Culture (~10 min walk) – exhibits on local history, crafts, and lifestyle.

Accommodation/Food: Stay in XiTang Old Town. Recommended dishes: fish soup, steamed buns, river seafood.

Souvenirs: Handmade crafts, decorative buttons, local snacks, folk art items.


4-Day Itinerary: Button Museum + Canals + Villages + Tea Experience

Four days provide a mix of cultural, historical, and natural experiences around XiTang.

  • Days 1–3: Follow 3-day itinerary.
  • Day 4 Morning: Tea Plantation Visit (~20 min taxi) – participate in tea picking and tasting, enjoy riverside scenery.
  • Day 4 Afternoon: Leisurely boat ride on XiTang canals (~5–10 min taxi or walk) to capture scenic views and photography.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near XiTang canals or Button Museum. Recommended dishes: tea-infused dishes, local river fish, steamed buns.

Souvenirs: Tea leaves, handmade buttons, traditional crafts, souvenirs from boat ride shops.


5-Day Itinerary: Button Museum + Historic Streets + Museums + Surroundings

Five days allow a comprehensive experience including museums, ancient streets, villages, and waterways.

  • Days 1–4: Follow 4-day itinerary.
  • Day 5 Morning: XiTang Paper Cutting Museum (~10 min walk from Beizha Street) – learn traditional paper-cutting techniques.
  • Day 5 Afternoon: Explore XiTang Old Streets – shopping for local snacks, handicrafts, and scenic photography.

Accommodation/Food: Stay in Old Town near canals. Recommended dishes: river fish, steamed buns, sweet dumplings, bamboo shoot dishes.

Souvenirs: Paper-cut artworks, decorative buttons, tea, handmade crafts, local pastries.


6-Day Itinerary: Full XiTang Cultural & Scenic Exploration

Six days allow for a leisurely exploration of XiTang, including museums, canals, villages, gardens, and tea plantations.

  • Days 1–5: Follow 5-day itinerary.
  • Day 6 Morning: Visit South Garden & North Garden Scenic Areas – enjoy classic Chinese gardens and riverside photography.
  • Day 6 Afternoon: Leisure time in XiTang Old Town alleys – shop for souvenirs or relax at riverside cafes.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near Old Town canals. Recommended dishes: river shrimp, local freshwater fish, steamed buns, rice cakes.

Souvenirs: Buttons, handmade crafts, tea, paper-cut artwork, local snacks.


7-Day Itinerary: Comprehensive XiTang & Surroundings

A full week allows exploration of XiTang China Button Museum, scenic canals, historic streets, villages, gardens, museums, and cultural experiences at a relaxed pace.

  • Days 1–6: Follow 6-day itinerary.
  • Day 7 Morning: Visit Anjing Bridge Area & Beizha Street for last photos and shopping.
  • Day 7 Afternoon: Optional boat ride or tea tasting session; final exploration of XiTang Old Town before departure.

Accommodation/Food: Stay in XiTang Old Town. Recommended dishes: freshwater fish, river shrimp, sweet dumplings, tea-infused dishes.

Souvenirs: Buttons, folk crafts, tea, paper-cut artworks, local snacks, small river-themed crafts.


User Reviews

By lvan |

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.

By pale |

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.

By Passenger Journey |

Very interesting museum, suitable for visiting here

By Smile as bright as spring flowers |

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.

By Ding Dong |

Various buttons, it is a history of buttons, it is okay to take a look when you have time

By Silent Valley Facing the Wind |

There is a button museum in Xue's house. It is said that Xitang's button production accounts for 40% of the national trade.

By Yi Lai |

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.

By littlebamboo |

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.

By Xiaoju |

I went in and took a look. It's quite unique and can broaden my horizons.

By C^H_E^N |

The Jiangnan water town is unique and worth a visit.

By Watermelon-flavored candy |

Next to Xitang Town is Dashun Township, the hometown of buttons in China, so there is a button museum here.

By ┄ˇ |

I recommend visiting the Button Museum, where there is a button so big that it entered the Guinness Book of Records.

By Garfield |

It displays various buttons from ancient times to the present, as well as a demonstration of the button making process.

By The red star guides me to fight |

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.

By Puppet~Lian Si |

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

By AllenL AllenL |

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.

By In 2014, I walked through Jiangnan |

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.

By One carat diamond ring |

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.

By The only Danna sauce |

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!

By Floating Years |

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.

By Follow me everywhere |

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.

By World Peace |

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.

By Smile |

At night, sitting at the window on the second floor of the museum and looking at the river view outside is a unique experience.

By Heart is far away |

There are many beautiful buttons from different eras, and the whole process of hand-making buttons in ancient times is demonstrated on site.

By Josh |

It's not interesting, so don't go, it's too niche

By Young |

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.

By small potatoes |

The master in the venue will demonstrate the button making process on the spot, but unfortunately you can only watch

By Ta-da |

If you have a ticket, it's also nice to go shopping. There are all kinds of buttons, big and small.

By Tracy McGrady |

There is also a button museum in Xitang, which is pretty good.

By Flightless sheep |

I took a quick look at all sorts of buttons, but didn't leave a deep impression.

By Pure Joy |

Among the 11 attractions included in the ticket, this small museum is interesting. You can imagine how boring the rest are.

By hyacinth! |

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.

By Xiapu Linsheng |

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.

By Mocha on Mocha |

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.

By monster |

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.

By salted egg yolk |

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. ...

By ←№1 Ru Guo~ |

Because you can enter Xitang without buying a ticket after 5 pm, but you can't go to the Button Museum without a ticket

By Zhao Huoding |

This small museum has a variety of buttons, production techniques, etc. It is worth a visit.

By spark |

It is considered a more distinctive place in Xitang Scenic Area

By HiBike |

This place is really special and fun, haha.

By Rain in the third year of the Republic of China |

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.

By _Crossfade_ |

It's quite average, just take a look, nothing special

By Fatty meat buns |

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.

By That dream |

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.

By anjella_w |

The Xitang scenic area is accessible by ticket and is relatively simple.

By Seven-fold Buddha's Grace |

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.

By Huh? You called me? |

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.

By Cappuccino |

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.

By Cape of Good Hope |

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!

By HONG |

Xitang is the hometown of buttons, and the museum is located on West Street in Xitang Ancient Town.

By Soda V |

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.

By Ma Tingting |

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.

By China-TravelNote users |

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.

By I love to laugh |

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.

By Dragon King Online |

The Button Museum was crowded from the entrance. I was eating at the time, so it was not convenient for me to go in.

By slowly |

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!

By Moyou Wenhua |

Learn about the history of buttons with an old man explaining and demonstrating them to you. It will also help you learn more.

By Island Mountain No. 17 |

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.

By Pot |

It's very good, very creative and unique. At least it attracted me when I first saw it.

By Mulan |

The whole Xitang feels very good. The bustling places have their own bustling flavor, and the quiet places have their own quiet flavor.

By Haifeng |

It's not interesting, it's too small. And many items are just for show.

By Grass on the horizon |

The name is cute. It's good to just go and have a look.

By Lorina |

There are many buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which are worth a visit.

By Elk |

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.

By Running Morning Glory |

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.

By WPX |

A small attraction included in the Xitang ticket, it's quite interesting to just take a look around

By Shoko |

This is the first time I have seen so many buttons. I can imagine how people used buttons in the past.

By Roumeimei is a little white sheep |

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!

By Winter is over |

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.

By chris |

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.

By Ten Miles of Spring Breeze |

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.

By zhoult0514 |

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.

By Dana |

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.


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