travelogue - Suzhou Silk Museum

Internet access has so far been quite limited on this trip but I still wanted to post while things are fresh in my mind.

Crafty highlight of our three days in Shanghai, China, was our visit to the Suzhou Silk Museum.

The peaceful mulberry garden demonstrates the various types of mulberry bushs that serve as the silk worms' diet.

In the sericultural room, two old ladies sat crouched on the floor watching over the silkworms busy at their job of eating mulberry leaves.

Cocoons in the sericultural room.

Each variety of silorm produces a noticeably different cocoon.

Part of an old loom on the weaving room, where their use is demonstrated by highly skilled technicians.

One of the amazing double-sided silk embroideries produced and sold locally.

Directions
Catch a train from Shanghai Railway Station to Suzhou. The trip should take anywhere from 40 minutes to 2hours,depending on whether you get the express. I recommend that you book your return ticket in Shanghai too to avoid a potentially long wait.
Upon arriving in Suzhou, catch a bus, taxi or trishaw or walk (it's not far) going left from the station then right over the bridge. Cross the first set of lights and the museum is halfway down the first main block on the right side (across the street from the start of the temple complex).

There are lots of other interesting things to fill your day in Suzhou, including the silk embroidery research institute.