[2025 Suzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for China Kunqu Opera Museum (Updated Jun)

The China Kunqu Opera Museum is located at No. 14 Zhongzhangjia Lane in Gusu District, adjacent to the Pingjiang Road Historical Area. The museum itself is a nationally protected historical building—the Shanxi Guild Hall, which exhibits Kunqu Opera-related content. Just a few dozen meters away is the China Suzhou Pingtan Museum, which can be visited together. Free admission, no reservation required; Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

A loose yet tense journey, from strangers to friends who make plans to meet again. 8:30 Meet at Beibanyuan, where the staff of Pingjiangfu Hotel opened the mysterious door of Beibanyuan for us. Three little ones were playing in the pool, so carefree. 9:15 Passed by the Suzhou Urban Construction Museum, which was not on the itinerary. The building's "dialogue between ancient and modern" allowed us to rediscover Suzhou, a city we often visit. For the first time, we realized that there are so many ancient buildings beyond our knowledge. 10:00 Quanjin Guild Hall, China Kunqu Opera Museum, and the 2025 "Just in Time to Dream" Peony Pavilion-themed exhibition depicted a dream-seeking route for us to explore Kunqu Opera. We sat down for a short break and enjoyed a famous song, which was quite enjoyable. 11:00 Boarded a boat at Xiangmen Wharf to Xumen. The ancient city gates along the way were particularly majestic, giving us a sense of traveling through time and space. We passed by Shemen, quickly pressed the shutter, and welcomed the dancing golden snake. 13:00 After a simple lunch, we headed to the former site of the Jiangsu Provincial Surveillance Office, where a joint exhibition of aquatic art was held. The boundless imagination of the artists and the ancient building engaged in a dialogue across time and space, and the words "dialogue between ancient and modern" appeared in our minds again. On the way, we passed by the "Suzhou People's Hall" and looked forward to the scene of entering it in the future. 14:30 Arrived at Changyuan as scheduled, which is limited to 20 visitors per day, so remember to make a reservation in advance. Now, Changyuan is operated by Vanke's Youxiong Hotel, and behind every ancient door in the garden may be a place to rest. 16:00 Arrived at the Suzhou Silk Museum before it closed. The embroidery added a touch of beauty to the silk, and the exquisite exhibits were breathtaking. Young curator Luo Yier and a group of young artists once again presented a "dialogue between ancient and modern" here, bringing this trip to a perfect end. 20,000 steps in one day to check in at many lesser-known gardens, and we still had the energy to add a classic after dinner, Tang Yin's Former Residence, and rushed to the high-speed rail platform at the last minute. Looking back on the dialogue between ancient and modern throughout the day, every step was a scene, more exciting than a time-travel drama.

Visited the China Kunqu Opera Museum on a rainy day in early winter. Although I've lived in Suzhou for many years, I still can't understand Kunqu opera, but I still find it very pleasant to listen to, haha. The architecture and atmosphere are definitely worth seeing. The best part is that there are no crowds and it's free. Here's a guide to what to see at the Kunqu Opera Museum. ✅️1. Learn about the history of Kunqu opera From Wei Liangfu to Liang Chenyu, from "The Story of Washing Silk" to "Fifteen Strings of Cash", from characters to representative works, the music in the museum takes you back to the era when Kunqu opera was popular. ✅️2. Admire the ancient architecture of the Quanjin Guild Hall The central building is a grand hall with an ancient stage, retaining the architectural features of Shanxi merchants, and forming a sharp contrast with the buildings on both sides. The ancient stage is especially impressive, even praised by the master architect I. M. Pei. ✅️3. See the Kunqu opera props and name plaques In the Nanmu Hall on the west side, you can see the Kunqu opera name plaques, which were made by Le Yu in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. They are made of more than 100 pieces of redwood carvings and are the "treasures of the museum". ✅️4. Enjoy the red leaves of late autumn On the west side of the museum, there is a quiet courtyard with a pond and rockery, where you can enjoy the red maple leaves. It's a great place to take photos, with no crowds and a poetic atmosphere. ✅️5. See Kunqu opera cartoons In the Osmanthus Hall, where the words "Wei Liang Yiyun" are engraved, you can enjoy the opera character paintings by the master Gao Made. ✅️6. Listen to Kunqu opera masterpieces The interactive exhibits at the museum are very well done, with players and headphones everywhere, allowing you to listen to famous Kunqu opera pieces. 👉Travel Information: China Kunqu Opera Museum (Quanjin Guild Hall) Recommended visit time: 0.5–1 hour Tickets: Free, no reservation required, you can enter directly (no ID card required) Location: Pingjiang Historical Block

A few years ago, I specifically passed through the Pingjiang Road district to visit the national key cultural relic protection unit "Quanjin Guild Hall", wanting to see the ancient stage, but unexpectedly it was closed for major repairs, and it reopened at the beginning of February 2024 (adjacent to the Suzhou Pingtan Museum/Shen Family Mansion). Before entering the museum, you can first take a look at the inscriptions about the Quanjin Guild Hall at the entrance. Perhaps due to the constraints of the building itself, although it tries to list as much Kunqu-related knowledge as possible, the display logic is not very smooth; therefore, it is best to have a good guide to lead the way, or to come during an event to experience (experience the lingering sound effects of the stage's caisson ceiling). Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (9:00 - 17:00, stop entering at 16:00) Location: No. 14, Zhong Zhangjia Alley, Gusu District, Suzhou City "Treasure of the Museum" — "Baohetang" Hall Name Lantern Carrier (National Second-Level Cultural Relic) The music carriage used by the "Baohetang" Suzhou Qingyin troupe at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China. The "Baohetang" hall name lantern carrier is composed of more than a hundred pieces of redwood carved panels, carved with pine, plum, bamboo, and birds; the top layer is inlaid with agate, jade, pearls, coral; around it hang more than a dozen lotus glass colored lanterns; the lower front has doors on the left and right for the hall name artists to enter and exit. Inside the carrier, there is space for a table and chairs, accommodating eight people sitting around, and it can hold musical instruments such as strings, flutes, and drums. It was originally passed down in the family of Cui Shuisheng, a Suzhou opera artist, and is rare in China. His family was known in Suzhou City in the 1930s as "Baohetang Women's Kunqu". This lantern carrier was donated to the Suzhou Opera Museum by Cui Shuisheng in the 1980s. China Kunqu Museum